Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) interim featherweight champion Conor McGregor is a bona fide star in mixed martial arts (MMA), and his presence on the UFC 189 pay-per-view (PPV) card has the numbers to back it up.
The boisterous Irish striker talked the talk and then walked the walk ... all the way to the bank.
In addition to raking in the dough, "The Notorious" one helped UFC score $7.2 million at the live gate, a stateside record, in addition to an enormous one million PPV buys, according to McGregor's biography page (via MMA Junkie).
McGregor starched late replacement and three-time title challenger Chad Mendes, albeit through some adversity, in the closing seconds of round two inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, back on July 11, 2015, to become the first Irish champion in UFC history.
Despite injured 145-pound champion Jose Aldo's decision to pull out, the PPV went on as scheduled and was reportedly more successful without him, netting dominant totals with the services of McGregor and Mendes, as well as co-headliners Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald (video).
UFC 189 is now in rare company, sitting alongside fellow historic UFC 100 PPV as one of the few events to reach a buy-rate north of one million. UFC President Dana White knew it all along, calling it the "best ever" after the event wrapped up.
Hard not to wonder what could have been if pound-for-pound great Aldo had stayed in the fight. Regardless, McGregor can continue to play with his "toy" as he is installed as a titleholder in the interim, setting up a clash between both men.
One that is sure to generate palpable buss for a possible Jan. 2 headliner in Las Vegas.
In the meantime, "The Dublinator" needs to finish conducting business -- as he does so well -- filming The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 22, alongside Urijah Faber.
Hopefully the 27-year-old McGregor can contain his emotions before anymore rigged skirmishes happen on set.