Commentary: MMA relies on stars from over 10 years ago for biggest events

The post observes that major MMA events worldwide still depend heavily on fighters who made their names more than a decade ago. Globally, Conor McGregor is returning after five years away, and the Rousey-Carano fight is generating massive social media buzz without trash talk, potentially exceeding interest in Chimaev-Strickland. In Russia, Kamil Gadzhiev wants to make a fourth Mineev-Ismailov fight, and a boxing match featuring the nearly 50-year-old Fedor would eclipse everything done domestically in recent years regardless of opponent. The author notes this sad reality applies both in Russia and America. While hardcore MMA fans prefer current fighters, the post emphasizes that the general public's attention still gravitates toward established names. Unfortunately, no new stars have emerged to replace Conor, Ronda, Fedor, or the appeal of Mineev-Ismailov for broader audiences.