Henry Cejudo thinks it’s time for the UFC to part ways with their biggest star.
Conor McGregor has just one fight left on his current contract with MMA’s premier promotion.
The Irishman recently revealed he plans to lay down his gloves and transition to bare-knuckle boxing in 2027.
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Why Henry Cejudo thinks the UFC should cut Conor McGregor
The UFC has moved away from pay-per-view since signing a $7.7 billion TV deal with Paramount/CBS.
Conor McGregor is the biggest box office draw in MMA history, who sold four million pay-per-views when he crossed into boxing for a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2017.
Now that the UFC doesn’t have to worry about selling pay-per-views, Henry Cejudo sees no reason why the promotion should cough up $30 million for McGregor’s final fight.
“Now it’s up to the UFC to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to pay you this much because you’re worth this much.’ I guarantee, I’m going to tell you right now, I can even see the UFC just letting him go based on what he got paid,” the former dual-weight UFC champion said on his Pound 4 Pound podcast.
“They could be like, ‘Hey, you know what? You’ve got one fight left. We don’t think you’re worth that. You’re a free agent.’
“If I’m a businessman and I want to keep a lot of my money, and I like Conor, f— Conor. I would cut him. I swear to you I would, because if they’re going to give him $30 million and not have to give him $30 million, particularly with that big-a– Paramount deal that they have and Paramount has to make their money, hey, just cut him. Let him be a free agent. Let him make more money elsewhere, but let him not make money or take money from us.
“There’s no more pay-per-view model, and this dude hasn’t won a fight. Just the business aspect of it,
“Pretend I’m Dana White, you know what I’m doing? I’m saying he’s got one fight left, his last fight wasn’t even a fight. He lost again. Just let him leave with the loss in the UFC. Let him start his own career.
“Let us not pay him what he’s worth, which is $30 million. I believe he got paid $30 million in this fight against [Max] Holloway. That’s what he used to generate. There’s no more pay-per-views.
“It’s not because, ‘Oh, Conor McGregor’s going to do this, give us more money.’ These contracts are already said and done.”
How Conor McGregor could still be valuable to the UFC
While the UFC no longer relies on pay-per-view sales, Conor McGregor remains one of the biggest commercial attractions in combat sports.
The Irishman’s drawing power extends beyond television revenue, with ticket sales, sponsorship opportunities, and mainstream interest all contributing to his value.
His most recent appearance at UFC 329 generated a $26 million live gate, highlighting his ability to attract paying fans despite his struggles inside the Octagon.
Paramount/CBS will likely want a star of that magnitude on their platform in 2027.
That could give the UFC plenty to think about before deciding whether to part ways with its biggest star.
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