UFC superstar Conor McGregor has partnered with 1xBet ahead of his return to the octagon later this month.
The Irishman will headline UFC 329 on 11 July, where he will take on Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway in a rematch of a fight that first took place in 2013.
Revealing the news, 1xBet said: “We’re proud to welcome UFC legend Conor McGregor as 1xBet Global Brand Ambassador. As one of the greatest icons in combat sports prepares for his long-awaited comeback, we’re excited to begin this new chapter together.”
The eyes of the combat sports world are set to be engaged with the return of McGregor next Saturday after a five-year hiatus following a leg break against Dustin Poirier back in 2021.
Even after five years out, it remains the case that in Mixed Martial Arts, few move the needle as much as McGregor, who originally shot to stardom with a blistering run to the featherweight title.
The run culminated in him dispatching legendary Brazilian Jose Aldo in just 13 seconds, in what is regarded as one of the best knockouts in a UFC title fight.
Outside of the octagon, McGregor owns Forged Irish Stout and has a stake in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. He also starred in the Roadhouse movie alongside Jake Gyllenhaal.
For 1xBet, securing McGregor as an ambassador represents a significant scoop given the number of eyes that will be focused on the fighter’s return to action in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
It’s the penultimate fight of his current UFC deal, however, a run for the title at either 170 or 155 seems likely if he can get past Holloway, who he defeated by unanimous decision in their first clash.
McGregor has a long history of forging commercial relationships with the gambling industry, having in the past held similar ambassadorial roles with firms such as Parimatch, Betsafe and Duelbits.
Meanwhile, he has also partnered with the prediction markets platform Polymarket ahead of his latest fight with Holloway, with the pair releasing a promotional video on Instagram in which McGregor is replicating the mirror scene from the 1995 movie ‘Hate’.
