5 reasons why a rematch between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather is bad for MMA

#4. It gives MMA less bargaining power

The appeal of crossover fights is seeing how well certain athletes will do in a combat sport different from their own. However, every high-profile crossover fight between a well-known boxer and a well-known mixed martial artist, with the exception of the matchup between James Toney and Randy Couture, has taken place in a boxing ring under boxing rules.

Thus far, very few boxers have exhibited any serious interest in testing themselves in the octagon against elite opposition in the same way Conor McGregor did when he opted to box Floyd Mayweather.

If the greatest star in MMA history faces Floyd Mayweather again in the boxing ring, it gives mixed martial arts promotions significantly less bargaining power moving forward.

It will be much easier for boxing promoters to point out that MMA's biggest stars have only ever stepped into the boxing ring, rather than the opposite. They might argue that boxers shouldn't take the risk of an MMA fight against a lower-profile opponent, since the highest-profile MMA fighter of all-time didn't have enough bargaining power to coax a boxer to face him in the octagon.

This risks leaving the sport as the perpetual B-side to boxing's A-side.

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#3. It's not profitable for the UFC in the long-term

While a rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor might still generate a high number of pay-per-view buys, it would almost certainly not reach the same heights the initial matchup did. The first outing between the two raised the interest of fight fans for many reasons.

Mayweather was pursuing his 50th win with zero losses on his record, while McGregor attempted to immortalize himself by becoming the first and only man to ever defeat 'Money'. Furthermore, it was also many fight fans' first experience with a crossover bout, as the Randy Courture vs. James Toney matchup took place before the UFc was truly mainstream.

Lastly, McGregor's destruction of Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 led to many fans incorrectly believing that the Irishman's power would be unlike anything Mayweather had ever faced. After their first fight, however, everyone with the exception of McGregor's most ardent supporters now knows exactly how the rematch will end.

Mayweather has also retired from professional boxing. Hence, the fight will not generate as many PPV buys as the first—the fight with nothing to build from.

It would be far more profitable to have McGregor seek UFC fights that offer more intrigue to fight fans, such as a fourth bout with Dustin Poirier. Many McGregor fans believe Poirier's first win was a fluke and that the Irishman was unlucky in the follow-up fight.

A trilogy bout with Nate Diaz or a highly-anticipated matchup with Jorge Masvidal are also better proposals. The UFC can schedule multiple money-making matchups for 'The Notorious' in the octagon as opposed to boxing.