All 20,000 tickets for Conor McGregor's upcoming fight sold out in just four minutes, equating to roughly 83 tickets per second. Demetrious Johnson has also commented that Russian and Dagestani fighters are reportedly being avoided by some organizations due to their dominant skill level. Meanwhile, Merab Dvalishvili broke his nose during a wrestling session with Frankie Edgar at a RAF event but said it would not stop him from competing. Ben Askren is set to wrestle Belal Muhammad at a RAF event on July 18.
Tickets for Conor McGregor's next fight vanished almost instantly, with all 20,000 available seats selling out in roughly four minutes — a pace of approximately 83 tickets per second.
The rapid sellout underscores the enduring commercial pull McGregor commands, regardless of activity inside the cage.
In other news, Demetrious Johnson weighed in on a broader trend in combat sports, commenting that some organizations are reportedly steering clear of Russian and Dagestani fighters because of their dominant skill level. Johnson, 39, holds a career record of 27-3-1 and is widely regarded as one of the most technically complete fighters in MMA history. The American, who trains out of AMC Pankration, posts a striking accuracy of 54 percent alongside 3.35 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Merab Dvalishvili suffered a broken nose during a wrestling session with Frankie Edgar at a RAF event but made clear the injury would not sideline him from competition.
Why it matters
- McGregor's ticket pace signals massive live-event demand heading into the fight
- Johnson's comments reflect a growing conversation around competitive matchmaking decisions in the sport
- Dvalishvili's commitment to compete despite injury keeps his divisional timeline on track
Separately, a marquee grappling matchup is scheduled for a RAF event on July 18, where Ben Askren will face welterweight contender Belal Muhammad in a wrestling bout. Askren, 41, is a decorated grappler with a record of 19-2-0, averaging 4.33 takedowns per 15 minutes across his MMA career while fighting out of Roufusport. Muhammad, ranked sixth in the welterweight division and eighth pound-for-pound, carries a 24-5-0 record and trains out of the same Roufusport camp. The 37-year-old lands 4.43 significant strikes per minute and averages 2.14 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a well-rounded opponent even in a pure wrestling context.
