Everyone is holding their breath to see if Conor McGregor will, in fact, make his long-awaited return to the Octagon to fight Max Holloway at UFC 329 this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada at T-Mobile Arena.
In 2026, the two biggest stars in boxing & MMA remain Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. Both men’s legacies are strangely connected to each other when it comes to business and legal issues.
Ari Emanuel’s decision to take the money from their 2017 boxing match instead of changing UFC fighter pay calculations is what has led us down this rather crazy world of fight sport economics. It’s why there is still ongoing UFC antitrust litigation.
This week’s edition of The MMA Draw Podcast is one of our best shows to update. If you have not already subscribed, sign up and give us a try for a month for $8. For our current subscribers or those of you considering a paid subscription, $69 a year is the best bargain for the kind of combat sports news and information we provide. There’s a reason industry leaders are all-in on following our content.
This week’s podcast menu of topics for our listeners includes:
The future of Conor McGregor and how his legacy inevitably is tied to Floyd Mayweather’s misfortunes. Will Conor be able to emerge from a better financial and legal position than Floyd is currently in?
Why Ari Emanuel’s decision to allow Conor McGregor to box Floyd Mayweather permanently changed the trajectory of both boxing and UFC for better and for worse.
What realistic expectations fans should have for Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway at UFC 329, including our estimates on how big the T-Mobile Arena gate will likely be.
A blockbuster development in UFC antitrust evidence spoliation hearings regarding Dana White’s iPhone 11 Pro phone potentially getting erased. Who did what and when? We separate fact from fiction in regards to what it means for ongoing UFC litigation as far as a timetable and likely outcome, either in settlement or if the case goes to trial. Paid subscribers have access to Zach’s full article on what happened in the courtroom last week.
The growing role of Big Law firm Latham & Watkins in the UFC antitrust lawsuit with long-time UFC attorney Colby Williams leaving to join his old bosses at Red Rock Casino.
How Latham & Watkins became Ari Emanuel’s most trusted legal advisors. How does Ari view his Big Law partners in regards to their role in US Government affairs? Nate & Zach play newly released audio by a Delaware court (obtained by Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling + Wrestlenomics) regarding Ari Emanuel & Vince McMahon voice messages communicating behind-the-scenes chicanery to sell WWE to Endeavor. Did Janel Grant help Ari Emanuel become a billionaire?
What the future of UFC & WWE could look like once current US President Donald Trump is out of office.
If you like your fight news hot, intense, and in-depth, The MMA Draw is the place to sign up and become a full-time subscriber.
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Nate Wilcox is Editor-in-Chief of The MMA Draw. He founded BloodyElbow.com in 2007 and sold it in 2024.
Zach Arnold is a lead opinion writer for The MMA Draw on Substack. His archives can be read at FightOpinion.com. Contact Zach: fightopinion at protonmail dot com.
