Conor McGregor self-promotes his way to stardom

Nobody offers more effusive praise than the man himself.

McGregor is a self-promoting machine with the unique ability to perform anytime a camera or microphone is on anywhere in his vicinity.

He will headline UFC 189 tonight at the MGM Grand Garden in an interim featherweight title fight against Chad Mendes, an event that will break the live gate record for mixed martial arts in Nevada at more than $7 million.

“It is me who has given them this gate, not nobody else. Highest numbers every time. We have superstars singing us into the octagon. Who you think got that? Me,” said McGregor, a 26-year-old Irish phenom who will be escorted to the cage by Sinead O’Connor. “I built this event. This is the McGregor show, make no mistake about it.

“Who else has done what I’ve done inside of two years?”

McGregor was expected to challenge Jose Aldo for the featherweight belt, but Aldo was forced to withdraw two weeks ago with a rib injury. UFC officials said there were very few requests for refunds after the switch, and in fact, extra seats were made available to meet demand.

Pay-per-view numbers are trending very high, and the organization’s internal indicators have officials incredibly optimistic. Friday’s weigh-ins drew more than 10,000 fans with many others turned away outside.

While McGregor’s prediction of breaking the company’s all-time record for pay-per-view buys is probably a long shot, there is no doubt he is a major star.

“I’m a dreamer. I always dream, I always visualize. Watching UFC 100 and the magnitude of that event, the fact we have surpassed that is amazing,” McGregor said. “I’m 26 years of age and I hold every record in the game, and (tonight) the pay-per-view record will be the final one. It’s been a phenomenal journey, and at the same time, I’m only warming up here. We have seen nothing yet.”

Of course, he will have to continue to perform at a high level inside the cage to live up to those lofty prognostications.

“Whenever you look at someone who talks a lot, I look at what that person can do when the time comes to perform. Conor’s been able to back up everything he’s said,” former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks said. “Here’s what sucks for him, when he does lose, you know how many people are going to be on his butt? If he loses, Twitter is going to blow up.”

Hendricks expressed an admiration for how impactful McGregor has been since making his UFC debut in 2013. Light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier took it a step further.

“Two years. He has done this in two years. Ronda Rousey is the biggest star in the UFC across all platforms, but Conor McGregor is the biggest MMA fighter in the world. I will say that without question because of what he’s done by using not only his mouth, but also his skill inside the octagon,” Cormier said. “I like him. I think Conor does a fantastic job of elevating himself. Nobody else is going to do it for you. I appreciate it and I applaud him for it.”

If McGregor has any competition from another UFC fighter in terms of an ability to sell fights, it might be from a man who has yet to make his debut.

Phil Brooks, better known as former WWE superstar CM Punk, recognizes McGregor’s talent.

“He’s great. I don’t think he’s reinventing the wheel or anything like that. He’s doing what works. But it’s believable. I always tell guys if you’re going to cut a promo or talk to the media or anything like that and you don’t believe it, nobody else will. He believes everything he’s saying. It’s brilliant,” Brooks said. “Everything Conor does as far as selling a fight is 100 percent pro wrestling. It’s where Muhammad Ali got it. He got it from Gorgeous George. That’s 100 percent pro wrestling (expletive) talk, and he’s great at it and I love it. That’s what makes it entertaining. It’s 90 percent of what he’s become. He’s fantastic and he’s having fun doing it. You can tell.”

The shtick might not be as easy to appreciate for the fighters who have actually been the target of McGregor’s ridicule.

Dustin Poirier had to listen to an endless stream of trash talk and predictions of first-round knockouts before he fought McGregor in September.

“He’s a jerk. He’s an (expletive),” said Poirier, who lasted 1:46 before he was knocked out by McGregor. “At the same time, people love those guys. It’s great for the sport. It’s packed this week here, and they’re doing record numbers.”

McGregor has called for a knockout of Mendes four minutes into the first round. It’s the type of bravado that could certainly backfire should McGregor lose, as Hendricks pointed out.

Cormier thinks that’s one of the reasons more fighters don’t market themselves in a similar manner.

“You have to be comfortable living and dealing with the reaction that you’re going to get, both negative and positive, and most people can’t do that,” he said. “Not everyone is going to like what he does. Some will absolutely love it. As long as you’re OK with both sides of the coin, the love and the hate, you can do it. The thing is, a lot of guys aren’t comfortable doing it. We care too much as athletes about what people think.”

The fight headlines a pay-per-view card, beginning at 7 p.m. Four fights from the preliminary card will air live on Fox Sports 1 (Cable 329) at 5. The first bout starts at 4 at the MGM Grand.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.