For Conor McGregor, reinvention, not rematch, the proper direction | Opinion

LAS VEGAS – Conor McGregor is the biggest star in the history of MMA, and that doesn’t seem destined to change anytime soon.

The 20,062 fans in attendance for Saturday’s UFC 264 were very much at T-Mobile Arena to catch a glimpse of McGregor, a fact made evident by the number of cell phones in the air when he entered the octagon, as well as the volume of the boos that erupted when his opponent entered the building.

But with his journey from plumber’s assistant to global icon more than complete, I find myself hoping “The Notorious” has a third act planned once he’s able to set foot inside a cage once again.

Earlier this year, when McGregor took on Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi in a heavily hyped rematch of their original 2014 meeting, it seemed the brash Irishman was penning a new chapter. Respectful of Poirier as a fellow father and sportsman, McGregor went so far as to pledge a hefty donation to his opponent’s charity fund. The image of McGregor and Poirier on the stage at ceremonial weigh-ins – embracing, the former UFC double-champ holding a bottle of his opponent’s Louisiana Style Hot Sauce in the air – seemed to suggest the future UFC Hall of Famer had found a way to sell pay-per-views without painting every clash as a bitter rivalry.

Poirier prevailed that night with a second-round TKO at January’s UFC 257 to set up their trilogy fight.

McGregor’s approach to fight week this time around was much darker, taking to social media to post an alleged direct message request from Poirier’s wife, as well as promising to kill the former UFC interim lightweight champ during their clash.

It’s not the first time we’ve heard histrionics like this in the fight game, and it certainly won’t be the last. But perhaps that’s why it sounded so unsatisfying coming from McGregor. The man who had pushed boundaries and shocked the world with each new accomplishment, from becoming the first simultaneous two-division champ in UFC history to stepping out of the octagon and into a boxing ring with all-time great Floyd Mayweather, was now sounding more like a cheap imitation of himself.

Threatening to throw hot sauce on Poirier at the pre-fight press conference? That seemed like a less interesting version of the famed Monster Energy tosses that took place before his infamous 2016 rematch with Nate Diaz.

Poirier, himself, said the mystique and aura that once enveloped McGregor was gone, and the legendary trash talk he admittedly fell victim to in their initial meeting had now simply been reduced to “noise.”

Poirier’s confidence – and lack of any real concern – was evident as the fight unfolded, as well. As he predicted, McGregor started with a steady diet of low kicks, and Poirier responded with big punches on the feet, stringing together combinations and landing clean from the start. When the fight moved to the grappling department, it was McGregor who took the fight to the floor by jumping for a guillotine choke – despite saying earlier in the week that he only considers knockouts when tabulating career wins and losses.

Ultimately, a leg break ended the fight when an odd step saw McGregor’s left leg twist in agonizing fashion and visibly snap under the pressure of the torque. Poirier nearly finished the fight with strikes when he jumped on top of his injured opponent, but referee Herb Dean allowed the action to play out until the bell, at which point the damage became evident and the fight was waved off after the opening round.

But injury led to insults as McGregor remained seated against the cage, doctors tending to his limb, and he lashed out Poirier’s wife, calling her a “hoe” in promising that the rivalry with “The Diamond” was not complete. Broken and angry, yelling from the floor and leaning against the fence, McGregor seemed nothing like the fighter who once scaled that same cage with a belt draped over each shoulder.

UFC president Dana White said after the contest the fight needs to be run back at some point, though we still have no idea how long it will take for McGregor to recover from his injury. Poirier also said he wants to face McGregor again – whether it be in the cage or the street – to gain real closure to their series.

But an immediate rematch simply isn’t the right play for McGregor, who is now a very pedestrian 1-3 in his past four appearances and is only able to justify big fights based on his star power rather than any real meritocratic accomplishment.

Can he still pull big numbers? Of course. McGregor has captured the world’s attention with his personality and flair. But then again, so has Jake Paul.

If McGregor is happy enough just printing money – which he certainly has every right to be considering he’s amassed wealth the likes of which no MMA fighter before him has equaled – then he can continue down the same path. But if he dreams of again accomplishing the types of feats that first created his superstardom, the 32-year-old is in desperate need of wholesale changes.

If any fighter on the UFC roster has the capability of both sleeping in silk sheets and getting out of bed in the morning for a run – or wrestling practice, perhaps – it’s McGregor, who seemingly has willed unthinkable realities into existence before. But McGregor’s blood-red approach to fighting Poirier didn’t work this time around, either in or out of the cage. It didn’t work against Khabib Nurmagomedov, either.

In truth, it seems McGregor has lost the edge he once held over competitors in two divisions, and it’s going to take more than a few minor tweaks to get even a semblance of it back.

McGregor needs introspection right now, not imagination. The idea of a fourth meeting with Poirier should be shelved for the time being – at least if the biggest superstar in the sport truly has goals of being the greatest fighter in MMA, as well.

It’s not too late, but the window is closing, and McGregor has a decision to make – one that hopefully is made with the athlete in mind, and not the business, man.