Is anyone going to watch Mayweather vs. McGregor?

[Phishfan]

Because there were a lot of people buying the fight and/or betting on McGregor who thought that the MMA fighter could win.

They bet on McGregor to win because of the odds. I know several people who mentioned putting money on him (or wanting to if they had the money to gamble) because of the odds, not one said they really thought he would win but they would still take the chance.

[Spider-Dan]

To reiterate: there were 6.5 million buys of a $100 fight that you guys are claiming everyone knew was a waste of time.  That translates to 650 million dollars.

If Tiger Woods vs. Michael Phelps on a golf course could generate $650 million worth of PPV buys, I submit that necessarily means there are a substantial number of people who believe the outcome is in doubt.

[Phishfan]

I know there were some who thought McGregor would win. I was simply stating that many of those bets (and the majority I knew of) were odds based.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

To reiterate: there were 6.5 million buys of a $100 fight that you guys are claiming everyone knew was a waste of time.  That translates to 650 million dollars.

If Tiger Woods vs. Michael Phelps on a golf course could generate $650 million worth of PPV buys, I submit that necessarily means there are a substantial number of people who believe the outcome is in doubt.

By that logic all the revenue that the Harlem Globe Trotters generate is proof that a substantial number of people believe they will get to see the Washington Generals be victorious.  I would watch a contest in which Rex Ryan challenges Joey Chestnut to a hotdog eating contest purely for the entertainment value not because I doubt the outcome.  And I would drop $10 buck on a bet that gets me $500 if Tom Brady beats LaBron James in a game of one on one basketball even though I would expect to lost my money.

[Baba Booey]

To reiterate: there were 6.5 million buys of a $100 fight that you guys are claiming everyone knew was a waste of time.  That translates to 650 million dollars.

Agree and you get it. Some of the posts in this thread are comical. I mean people it's a business and the fact they put on an entertaining night of fights and made a lot of money in the process how can anyone say anything negative about this?  The main event fight was entertaining and McGreggor while I won't say he almost won at least in the early rounds put up a legit fight and showed he could hang and kept it interesting and planted some seeds that hey he is doing well here and ya never know.

This is a business and when 6.5 million people pay $100 for a fight to rip that or say anything negative about that is just beyond the realm of logic. Get a clue people

[Baba Booey]

Where does McGregor go from here?  Back to a regular contract with the UFC?  For what?

Yes he goes back to the UFC. Because guys who make $100 million in a night usually spend $120 million in a year and need to keep earning to support their lavish lifestyle. Why did Floyd take this fight? He didn't need the money. But if you want the big homes, the three dozen sports cars and spend like he spends you need to keep earning. So yes McGreggor will go back to the UFC, get more money out of the UFC for his fights and keep earning cause he likes to spend $$$$ like a wild man

[Spider-Dan]

By that logic all the revenue that the Harlem Globe Trotters generate is proof that a substantial number of people believe they will get to see the Washington Generals be victorious.

What a terrible analogy.  People pay to watch the Globetrotters for the same reason they pay to watch Star Wars: entertainment.

You claim that no one thought McGregor had any chance but you have provided no evidence to back up your claim.  In point of fact, of Mayweather's last 10 fights, only two (Pacquiao and Canelo) have been less of an underdog than McGregor was.  Even Shane Mosley (-400) was more of an underdog than McGregor (-350)... and Mayweather's last opponent, Andre Berto, was nearly ten times more of an underdog (-3000) than McGregor was.  So I'm not sure why you see this fight as so unique.  Mayweather outclasses everyone he fights.