In November of 2016, when Conor McGregor took the lightweight title from Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in New York City, he said he would take a little time away to become a father, and to assess his situation before deciding what would happen next.
In April 2017, a once-far-fetched crossover fight between him and undefeated boxing great Floyd Mayweather has slowly shifted from the space of if into the realm of when. Should the fight happen — and it’s gained momentum over recent weeks with the UFC on board in trying to facilitate it — McGregor would stand to earn the largest payday of any mixed martial arts athlete to date.