Conor McGregor Announces Logan Paul Fight Before UFC Return

Posted on: December 17, 2024, 09:11h. 

Last updated on: December 17, 2024, 09:53h.

Mark Keast Read More
Expertise: Canadian Gaming, iGaming, Las Vegas, Sports Betting, NFL, Boxing, UFC.
UFC president Dana White says there will be several “big fights” on the card for 2025 that will surprise people. (Image: AP)

For those hoping Conor McGregor will return to the UFC Octagon in 2025, especially after comments by UFC president Dana White this past weekend about “big fights” he had in his pocket for 2025, Tuesday morning’s news is a disappointment.

No Topuria Fight

In a series of posts on X, McGregor addressed rumors of an Ilia Topuria fight. Topuria is the current UFC Featherweight champion.

The rumors of a bout with topurio are false. I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India. I have agreed. I will then seek my return to the Octagon.”

Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani, known as the richest person in Asia, is an Indian billionaire, chairman, and managing director of Reliance Industries.

Exhibition Fights Bring Big Paydays

Critique it all you want, but the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight in November, streamed on Netflix, and held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, brought in over $17 million in ticket sales.

Neither Tyson nor Paul disclosed their actual paydays for the event, but Paul said at a news conference it was $40 million, and industry experts pegged Tyson’s pay at $20 million. Netflix said 108 million total live viewers watched the fight.

With figures like that, it’s no surprise that backers of a potential McGregor/Topuria fight believe it could go a long way in bringing attention to the growing Asian combat sports market.

White, meanwhile, teased some big events after Saturday’s UFC Fight Night that wrapped up the 2024 schedule, including one that he said came together that night.

“I anticipate a lot of big fights,” White told reporters. “I got something in the works now that will drive you f%#&*#@ crazy, all you guys (reporters) will be running around. I got something in the works that you will never f&%$#@* see coming for 2025 that literally started to come together last night. We’ve got some fun stuff coming up.”

Makhachev Set to Defend Title

UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., is coming up with two title bouts on January 18. In one fight, Islam Makhachev will defend his title versus No. 1 ranked Arman Tsarukyan in a lightweight division fight. Makhachev is the UFC’s No 1 pound-for-pound fighter according to ESPN rankings, last beating Dustin Poirier by submission last June.

In the second match, Merab Dvalishvili will defend his bantamweight title against No. 2 ranked Umar Nurmagomedov.

One of the “big fights” White was talking about could also take place that night with a possible heavyweight division unification title bout between champion Jon Jones and interim titleholder Tom Aspinall.

White said Saturday that such a match would be “probably the biggest fight in heavyweight history.”

Jones has said recently he wants a fight with Alex Pereira, but is believed to be willing to accept an Aspinall fight if the money is right.