CONOR MCGREGOR has been told that his early UFC hype that garnered him so much attention is not as strong as it was before. McGregor was the UFC's number one star when he became a two-weight world champion in the sport.
However, McGregor is seen as the sport's most famous star ever, with almost the entire top 10 highest selling pay-per-view events featuring him in the headline spot.
His record has been poor of late, he's lost three of his last four bouts and suffered a leg break against Dustin Poirier in a rematch. His last win came against Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone in 2020.
Ben Askren, the former Bellator world champion and top UFC contender said that McGregor's midas touch is slipping away and it's not the same anymore
On this date, Conor McGregor delivered two memorable performances five years apart 💥 pic.twitter.com/5yKEYzJSsX
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 18, 2022
Speaking to MMA Island, Askren said:
"When McGregor was competing for UFC titles, there was so much hype around him,"
"And now a McGregor fight is still a big fight but it's not the same thing that it was, right?
"I mean we're thinking when he's getting ready to fight Jose Aldo or Eddie Alvarez, those fights were just so gigantic and nowadays lost, three or four maybe or four or five, something like that.
"People will be excited for the next Conor McGregor fight but they are not going to be as excited as they were back then."
In other news Conor McGregor will not get to fight the current champion Charles Oliveira, as he defends his belt against Justin Gaethje at UFC 274.
Dana White, the UFC president said the fight will take place on May 7, with the location and venue yet to be announced
Oliveira previously admitted that he would rather take a money fight with McGregor than defend his belt against No.1 contender Gaethje.
“If I had the chance [in the past] to fight for the belt or fight Conor, everybody knows I’d fight for the belt,” Oliveira told MMAFighting.
“That already happened, I’m the champion now; the champion has a name and his name is Charles Oliveira, Charles ‘do Bronx.’ If I had the chance to fight Conor for money today, I would.
"The belt is mine and continues being mine. We’ll continue building our legacy and making history.”
Nevada , United States - 10 July 2021; Conor McGregor, left, and Dustin Poirier in their lightweight fight during the UFC 264 event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. (Photo By Thomas King/Sportsfile via Getty Images)