Since a magnificent showing in 2014 during which hometown fighters took a clean sweep at UFC Fight Night “McGregor vs. Brandao,” Irish MMA has been searching for its next big night on home soil. Away from the Emerald Isle, fans have enjoyed the Conor McGregor Show, as the reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight titleholder has taken them on a journey beyond what anyone could have expected. In Ireland, the experience has been far different.
After McGregor defeated Brandao in Dublin a little more than three years ago, there was much talk of him returning to Ireland to compete, either at GAA Stadium Croke Park or Aviva Stadium -- two venues that would draw somewhere between 50,000 and 80,000 fans.