Every ticket for Conor McGregor's upcoming bout sold out in just four minutes, averaging 83 tickets per second. Demetrious Johnson has commented on reports that UFC has become reluctant to sign Russian and Dagestani fighters due to their dominant skill level. Meanwhile, Merab Dvalishvili broke his nose again — this time during a wrestling session with Frankie Edgar at RAF — and Ben Askren is scheduled to grapple Belal Muhammad at a RAF event on July 18.
Every ticket for Conor McGregor's upcoming fight was snapped up in just four minutes, with demand running at an average of 83 tickets per second until the entire 20,000-seat allocation was exhausted.
Elsewhere, Demetrious Johnson weighed in publicly on a circulating report that the UFC has grown reluctant to sign fighters from Russia and Dagestan because of their high skill level. Johnson, nicknamed "Mighty Mouse," carries a professional record of 27-3-1 and is 39 years old. The five-foot-three American, who competes out of AMC Pankration, is widely regarded as one of the most technically complete fighters in the sport's history, posting a striking accuracy of 54 percent alongside 3.35 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career.
Merab Dvalishvili has suffered another broken nose, this one sustained during a wrestling session with Frankie Edgar at a Roufusport Athlete Foundation event. The Georgian bantamweight champion is no stranger to training-room wear and tear, but the timing of the injury will draw attention given his standing at the top of his division.
In a separate development, Ben Askren and Belal Muhammad are scheduled to grapple at a RAF event on July 18. Askren, 41, holds a 19-2-0 record and built his reputation almost entirely around his wrestling, averaging 4.33 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach and trains out of Roufusport. Muhammad, ranked sixth in the welterweight division and eighth pound-for-pound at 37 years old, brings a 24-5-0 record into the engagement. The Palestinian-American also trains at Roufusport and averages 4.43 significant strikes per minute, giving the July 18 matchup an interesting stylistic dimension between a career grappler and a well-rounded striker.
Why it matters
- McGregor's ticket demand underlines his continued box-office pull regardless of competitive context
- Johnson's comments add a prominent voice to an ongoing debate about UFC roster strategy
- The Askren vs. Muhammad grappling match puts a top-ten welterweight on the mats against one of the division's most decorated wrestlers
