Why doesn't Conor have tune-up fights?

[BullyKutta]

This part of the Conor story has always been interesting to me.
For such a great showman, I don't think he maximizes his own worth nearly as much as he should. Certainly not as well as elite boxers do.

Just to put this in context, the last time he entered the cage against an obvious can was January, 2015! If you don't recall, that was the Dennis Siver fight.

Conor was an overwhelming favorite versus Siver, and the press just treated the fight like it was just another chapter in the 'McGregor Comeup' saga. That was damn near a decade ago.

Since then, he's either fought ranked opponents or hardened veterans almost exclusively, notwithstanding that ridiculous Cerrone 'fight'.

In all, it's baffling that Conor's career wasn't better managed to keep some of the invincibility aura he once had.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

@Siver!

Shots fired, imo

 

[knowsitall]

Well at this point he is at risk of even losing those.
Chandler stylistically is a tune up.

 

[AldoStillGoat]

he does he punches old men as a warm up

 

[TITS]

I think the first Poirier rematch was supposed to be a tune-up, but Conor got tuned up instead. Chandler is also a "tune-up" even though it's never happening.

 

[El Fernas]

Thats probably more on the UFC than him, i mean, he can simply refuse the fights, but remember he tried to fight Diego Sanchez at one point, the UFC rarely does "tune up" or showcase fights, like boxing does.

 

[blaseblase]

Cowboy was a tune-up fight. But generally he's too big to fight no names. Can't have him headline a PPV against a can. No one wants to watch that.

 

[stephen90]

Cowboy was a tune up. So was Poirier 2.

 

[jk7707]

I would love to see Drew Dober knock his ass out in a "tune up fight".

 

[Bowel-forged Stool]

I would love to see Drew Dober knock his ass out in a "tune up fight".

Drew would wake up at the black forge inn after the Dublin dribbler dribbled his face across the canvas

 

[TITS]

Seriously though, they should just make Conor vs RDA finally happen (at 170). That's probably an even match-up now that RDA is almost 40.

 

[Shaolin Alan]

He begged Uncle Dana for Diego and we all laughed at the time. Seems like a real "fair play" right about now

 

[humperdoo]

With his ankle, tune-up will only be risky. Just fight the strongest, they know he will lose anyway but as long as the money flows. However, he was paired with Chandler who is also not someone they can market for huge pay.

Conor vs Poatan. Big PPV.

 

[Neck&Neck]

Conor stays tuned up from all the partying

 

[NoSmilez]

He can't have any tune up fights because of the pay that he receives. Connor also demands to headline a card without a belt. For that type of pay he isn't going to have a gimme fight especially when he has two fights left on his contract. Most likely he is going to sit out until next year. His contract should expire by then. Those contracts have 5 year expiration dates and he signed it in 2018. I am assuming it got extended when he "retired" during that one year to avoid testing and do movies.

I think Connor is probably going to do BKFC where he can promote his own show and also set up the matchmaking since he owns part of it. Mike Perry also got a boxing fight with Jake Paul. Perry is about to become another mainstream internet meme when they start covering that fight. It is a potential future matchup for Mcgregor. They can also replay Mcgregor's greatest hits with Alvarez and Mendez.

 

[ForeverYoung]

Tony Ferguson, Jim Miller or Bobby Green any of them would be a decent first fight back for Connor. Jumping right for Chandler is just asking to get KTFOD.

 

[acannxr]

This part of the Conor story has always been interesting to me.
For such a great showman, I don't think he maximizes his own worth nearly as much as he should. Certainly not as well as elite boxers do.

Just to put this in context, the last time he entered the cage against an obvious can was January, 2015! If you don't recall, that was the Dennis Siver fight.

Conor was an overwhelming favorite versus Siver, and the press just treated the fight like it was just another chapter in the 'McGregor Comeup' saga. That was damn near a decade ago.

Since then, he's either fought ranked opponents or hardened veterans almost exclusively, notwithstanding that ridiculous Cerrone 'fight'.

In all, it's baffling that Conor's career wasn't better managed to keep some of the invincibility aura he once had.

 

[gentel]

Cowboy was a tune-up fight. But generally he's too big to fight no names. Can't have him headline a PPV against a can. No one wants to watch that.

See I agree Cowboy was a tune-up, though at the time (very new to watching MMA) I didn't really view it that way beforehand and thought Cowboy's more well-rounded style with the grappling and kicks would give him problems

 

[Poirierfan]

Against Chandler he didn't need a tune-up fight, Chandler was the tune-up fight. The perfect stylistic matchup for Conor to had come back too.

 

[blaseblase]

See I agree Cowboy was a tune-up, though at the time (very new to watching MMA) I didn't really view it that way beforehand and thought Cowboy's more well-rounded style with the grappling and kicks would give him problems

Cowboy was coming off of two KO losses, it was a layup arranged for Conor to get him back in there against Khabib. Thankfully Khabib told Dana to fuck off, which meant Conor had to fight another contender.