Mayweather vs. McGregor: 5 reasons the UFC wins no matter what

4. Keeping McGregor happy

Since becoming the face of the UFC, King Conor seems to get what he wants. But the fact that the UFC has allowed him to fight Mayweather while supporting him so closely throughout the entire process will go a long way with the Irishman.

Now, McGregor knows that he won’t have to fight it out with Dana White and the company brass if he wants to battle a fire-breathing dragon to the death or become the first to take on 10 opponents at the same time–on pay-per-view of course. And if McGregor is serious about competing as a professional boxer after Aug.26 while continuing his UFC career, this is the UFC’s one chance to show its superstar that they’re behind him.

The UFC has taken their support of McGregor’s boxing ambitions a step further by setting up a training camp at UFC headquarters. While the facility is open to anyone on the promotion’s roster, it’s hard to imagine the UFC setting up a boxing ring for anyone else–and McGregor knows it.

We’ll probably never hear White admit it, but it looks like the UFC also cleared its calendar to focus on McGregor’s fight. After UFC Fight Night in Mexico City on Aug. 5, there’s not another event on the UFC’s schedule until Sept. 2, and that’s a great way to remind McGregor that he’s the promotion’s top priority.

McGregor has yet to defend his lightweight title since winning the belt last November, and with qualified contenders like Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov waiting for their crack at the 155-pound crown, White and the UFC would’ve had every right to ask the champ to fulfill his duties to the division before going off to fight in what amounts to a meaningless exhibition match.