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Conor McGregor Blows Massive Bet On Francis Ngannou's MMA Comeback Fight

The former UFC double champion lost significantly thanks to Francis Ngannou's triumphant return to MMA.

Zain Bando

Jul 10, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Conor McGregor before fighting against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Jul 10, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Conor McGregor before fighting against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Although Francis Ngannou successfully returned to MMA Saturday afternoon with a KO victory against Renan Ferreira, it was not good news for former UFC double champion Conor McGregor.

McGregor has taken a three-plus-year absence from MMA competition after sustaining a broken leg in his UFC 264 trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier. Minus participating in the "Roadhouse" remake, continuing to invest in his Proper Twelve whiskey brand and enjoying time on his yacht, McGregor has tried his hand in placing massive bets.

His latest combat sports wager came in the main event of Ngannou's PFL debut against Ferreira. The fight was contested for the PFL Super Fights heavyweight title, but unfortunately for McGregor, he got the short end of the stick.

McGregor placed a $500,000 bet on the Brazilian to win $1.67 millon. McGregor needed Ferreira to finish "The Predator" by KO/TKO to net his winnings. It didn't pan out as expected.

Conor McGregor Shows Off Bet Slip

McGregor took to 'X,' reassuring all of his followers he'll do better the next time around.

"The rich gets richer," McGregor tweeted. "I'll be back."

When McGregor decides to come back to betting (or fighting) is unclear. McGregor has yet to defeat a ranked opponent, much less a meaningful fighter, since 2016. McGregor's last UFC win, however, came in Jan. 2020 in the main event against Donald Cerrone at UFC 246.

McGregor would not compete for a year until running into back-to-back losses against Dustin Poirier, renewing a rivalry which began at UFC 178 in Sept. 2014.

McGregor is one of the most transcendent athletes MMA has seen in its near-31-year history. He became the first fighter in UFC history to hold two belts simultaneously and the first fighter from Ireland to capture UFC gold.

McGregor, 36, teased a comeback fight against fellow lightweight contender Dan Hooker late last week. Whether it comes to fruition remains unknown.

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Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99

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