MMA Power 40 (2015)

[Cammo101]

This time with more Connor McGregor than ever...


1. Dana White (UFC President)
2. Lorenzo Fertitta (Zuffa Chairman/CEO)
3. Eric Shanks (Fox Sports President)
4. Joe Silva (UFC Matchmaker/VP Talent Relations)
5. Jon Jones (UFC Light Heavyweight Champion)
6. Frank Fertitta (Zuffa Chairman/CEO)
7. Ronda Rousey (UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion)
8. Conor McGregor (UFC Featherweight)
9. Marc Ratner (UFC VP Regulatory Affairs)
10. Scott Coker (Bellator President)
11. Joe Rogan (UFC Play by Play Announcer)
12. Anderson Silva (UFC Middleweight)
13. Brock Lesnar (Former UFC Heavyweight)
14. Cain Velasquez (UFC Heavyweight Champion)
15. Kevin Kay (President of Spike TV)
16. Chris Weidman (UFC Middleweight Champion)
17. Jose Aldo (UFC Featherweight Champion)
18. Anthony Pettis (UFC Lightweight Champion)
19. Francisco Aguilar (Chairman of Nevada State Athletic Commission)
20. Georges St. Pierre (Former UFC Welterweight)
21. Greg Jackson (Trainer/President of Greg Jackson’s MMA)
22. Robbie Lawler (UFC Welterweight Champion)
23. Sean Shelby (UFC VP of Fighter Relations/Matchmaker)
24. Vitor Belfort (UFC Middleweight)
25. Alexander Gustafsson (UFC Light Heavyweight)
26. Daniel Cormier (UFC Light Heavyweight)
27. Donald Cerrone (UFC Lightweight)
28. Kenny Florian (Former UFC Fighter/UFC TV Personality)
29. Ray Sefo (President of World Series of Fighting)
30. Urijah Faber (UFC Bantamweight)
31. Nick Diaz (UFC Welterweight)
32. Ed Soares (MMA Manager/Co-Founder of Black House)
33. Craig Piligian (Executive Producer of The Ultimate Fighter)
34. Demetrious Johnson (UFC Flyweight Champion)
35. Burt Watson (UFC Site Coordinator)
36. Michael Bisping (UFC Middleweight)
37. Reed Harris (UFC VP of Community Relations)
38. Lyoto Machida (UFC Middleweight)
39. Johny Hendricks (UFC Welterweight)
40. Bruce Buffer (UFC Ring Announcer)/TJ Dillashaw (UFC Bantamweight Champion) *tie*

[CPT]

Same issue I always have with this list. No explanation of the criteria, thought process, or anything like that. Just "Here's a list. Discuss." Maybe even without the "discuss".

So by what measure is Conor McGregor ahead of Anderson Silva, who is ahead of Brock Lesnar, who is ahead of Cain, Weidman, Aldo, Pettis, who are all ahead of GSP?

The inclusion of GSP and Brock is especially troublesome, because if they are on the list, they are higher than any other fighter. If GSP announced he wanted to come back, Conor is getting bumped to the co-main event. Same goes for Brock.

A couple other good ones.
25. Alexander Gustafsson (UFC Light Heavyweight)
26. Daniel Cormier (UFC Light Heavyweight)
Why would this be the case?

40. Bruce Buffer (UFC Ring Announcer)/TJ Dillashaw (UFC Bantamweight Champion) *tie*
LOL. Thanks for this. You crunched all of your numbers, and Bruce Buffer and TJ Dillashaw came out in a dead heat. No possible way to separate them. Why even try?

[Cammo101]

Same issue I always have with this list. No explanation of the criteria, thought process, or anything like that. Just "Here's a list. Discuss." Maybe even without the "discuss".

So by what measure is Conor McGregor ahead of Anderson Silva, who is ahead of Brock Lesnar, who is ahead of Cain, Weidman, Aldo, Pettis, who are all ahead of GSP?

The inclusion of GSP and Brock is especially troublesome, because if they are on the list, they are higher than any other fighter. If GSP announced he wanted to come back, Conor is getting bumped to the co-main event. Same goes for Brock.

A couple other good ones.
25. Alexander Gustafsson (UFC Light Heavyweight)
26. Daniel Cormier (UFC Light Heavyweight)
Why would this be the case?

40. Bruce Buffer (UFC Ring Announcer)/TJ Dillashaw (UFC Bantamweight Champion) *tie*
LOL. Thanks for this. You crunched all of your numbers, and Bruce Buffer and TJ Dillashaw came out in a dead heat. No possible way to separate them. Why even try?

It is the list of the most powerful people in MMA at this moment. That is the thought process. There is no math equation to do it scientifically.

Conor is a bigger star in the MMA landscape right now than Anderson Silva. I know that sounds insane, but it is really true. Aside from the non-actice fighters, it is about how they draw, how much money they make the UFC, and how important they are within that organization. Again, there is no scientific way to do this. A decent portion is going to be opinion based, but that's what makes it interesting to discuss and argue about.

I have to take these guys as they are now. Of course if they came back to being active they would rise, it is a testament to their star power that they managed to be on this list without even being active. But, I can't move them up because they might come back or down because they might not. But, they are still powerful figures within MMA as evidence by the sheer amount of news and rumors they generate.

Mostly because Gustafsson is European. There are always going to be guys who get bumps by being the face of MMA in a location. The bigger the location, the higher up the list. See GSP and Bisping on older lists, Connor, Belfort, or Gustafsson now. Gus is main eventing a huge show this week as the draw, we have yet to see DC be able to do that.

I could have cut one, but I felt both deserved mention and the name "MMA Power 41" didn't have a great ring to it.

[CPT]

What are you projecting Conor vs. Aldo to do? Bigger than Silva/Sonnen I, II, Weidman I, or II? Hell, bigger than Silva/Diaz? I may or may not agree, but at least it would help me understand the thought process.

The upcoming Fox show being huge is news to me. As is the idea that DC has never main evented a huge show as a draw. I know your memory isn't short, because Conor McGregor runs into the crowd to confront Aldo and gets like a 10 spot bump, but Jones/DC was only a few weeks ago. Jones was "the draw", but I think that's a false distinction. Cormier had a ton to do with how big that show was. Jones/Gus II may be bigger if it happens now, but I don't think it would have been then.

[Cammo101]

What are you projecting Conor vs. Aldo to do? Bigger than Silva/Sonnen I, II, Weidman I, or II? Hell, bigger than Silva/Diaz? I may or may not agree, but at least it would help me understand the thought process.

The upcoming Fox show being huge is news to me. As is the idea that DC has never main evented a huge show as a draw. I know your memory isn't short, because Conor McGregor runs into the crowd to confront Aldo and gets like a 10 spot bump, but Jones/DC was only a few weeks ago. Jones was "the draw", but I think that's a false distinction. Cormier had a ton to do with how big that show was. Jones/Gus II may be bigger if it happens now, but I don't think it would have been then.

I think Aldo vs. Connor has a chance to do a million PPV buys.

The upcoming Fox show is the second ever stadium show at a place that holds 45,000 seats. That is a big deal and it is because Gus is a huge star in Europe. Book DC vs. Johnson in a 45,000 seat arena in California and let's see how many tickets they sell.

Jones was the main draw in that fight. Yes, DC busted his butt to sell that fight, but he has not proven to be any kind of a draw other than the fight where he fought arguably the UFC's biggest draw. He could become one on the back of the Jones fight. I clearly think pretty highly of DC if he is one spot behind the guy who is headlining a stadium show this week. For better or worse, guys who are the face of MMA in a region or country the UFC is pushing inherently have more power. It is why Bisping was always such a big deal for the UFC when they were trying to take over England.

[REDDzone]

I'm super skeptical that Conor can draw a million buys. He was on a ppv 3-4 months ago along with several other good fights and that show was a failure.

I mean a million buys would make him by far the biggest star in the sport wouldn't it?

Nobody else is pulling that right now.

[Cammo101]

I'm super skeptical that Conor can draw a million buys. He was on a ppv 3-4 months ago along with several other good fights and that show was a failure.

It isn't just Connor. It is Aldo as well, who is one of the UFC's better draws. There is a ton of interest in this fight and the UFC will market it to death. Also, pretty much all of Ireland will be watching the fight. Do those guys get it on regular TV or PPV? Because that changes things somewhat.

[REDDzone]

You may be right. I'd be floored, but its not impossible I guess.

[Cammo101]

You may be right. I'd be floored, but its not impossible I guess.

This will be the fight where we find out exactly how much Connor really moves the meter.

[CPT]

I'll admit I didn't know that about the UFC on Fox show, but I still don't know that that makes Gus a bigger star overall.

As for Conor, you're clearly buying what the UFC is selling. If you think that show will do a million buys, then yeah, it makes sense that you have it that high. I'm guessing about 600K, and that will be considered a huge success. LOL @ "all of Ireland" though. Like that bar with 10 people in it they kept cutting to? It's a nation of 5 million people, it will be on in the middle of the night, and I don't think they have PPV anyway. That's not going to be a significant factor.

[Jasen777]

A million is too high, the top end estimate for Jones-DC was 840,000 and I'll be very surprised if it gets that high. Aldo's top was 330,000 with Fankie. The only one that did a million since 2010 was Weidman vs Silva II. I doubt Conor moves the needle that much, unless maybe they put Ronda and C.M. Punk (not fighting each other, although...) on the card. Obviously they aren't going to put a title fight at a higher weight class on the card, so it'll be interesting to see who they do have.

[Jasen777]

I'm guessing about 600K, and that will be considered a huge success.

That would be a huge success and would put Conor in the argument for the current top draw (though he might lose that status if Aldo beats him).

[Cammo101]

A million is too high, the top end estimate for Jones-DC was 840,000 and I'll be very surprised if it gets that high. Aldo's top was 330,000 with Fankie. The only one that did a million since 2010 was Weidman vs Silva II. I doubt Conor moves the needle that much, unless maybe they put Ronda and C.M. Punk (not fighting each other, although...) on the card. Obviously they aren't going to put a title fight at a higher weight class on the card, so it'll be interesting to see who they do have.

Add Ronda vs. CM Punk as the co-main and that card does 2 million buys.

[REDDzone]

Would any commission sanction Ronda vs CM Punk?



Seriously, she has way too much martial arts experience for him.

[Cammo101]

Would any commission sanction Ronda vs CM Punk?



Seriously, she has way too much martial arts experience for him.

Anything can be done in Brazil. If you need to put on a fight where a guy with no eyes fights a bear, Brazil is where you go.

[REDDzone]

Would any commission sanction Ronda vs CM Punk?



Seriously, she has way too much martial arts experience for him.

Anything can be done in Brazil. If you need to put on a fight where a guy with no eyes fights a bear, Brazil is where you go.

Or you could go the old indian reservation route like our bellator friends.

[Cammo101]

Would any commission sanction Ronda vs CM Punk?



Seriously, she has way too much martial arts experience for him.

Anything can be done in Brazil. If you need to put on a fight where a guy with no eyes fights a bear, Brazil is where you go.

Or you could go the old indian reservation route like our bellator friends.

They were always good for non title fights like Ben Askren vs. some guy who is 17-14. Remember how awful those early Bellator non-title fights were? And then M'Pumbu got beat and they did away with them.

[REDDzone]

LOL I'm not being facetious...no I don't remember that. Askren's bellator opponents actually weren't THAT bad from what I can recall. Lyman Good, Dan Hornbuckle, Jay Hieron (Lima/Koreshkov go without saying).

Who are you thinking of...?

[Cammo101]

In putting together the 2016 version of this list, I got to take this jog down memory lane. Conor proved a lot of skeptics wrong about his drawing power. I was defending him and he's still become a bigger star than even I thought possible. A lot can happen in close to 2 years in MMA.