Skip to content

NSAC director: Money not a factor in sanctioning Mayweather-McGregor

Tom Szczerbowski / USA TODAY Sports

"The Money Fight" may not have been aptly dubbed after all.

In a Monday appearance on "The MMA Hour," Bob Bennett, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, dished on Saturday's superfight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor in Las Vegas - one expected to shatter pay-per-view records and net McGregor $100 million. While many have been inclined to dismiss the matchup as a shameless cash grab for all involved parties, Bennett maintained the potential cabbage had nothing to do with the commission sanctioning it.

"I take a look at each fighter's record," Bennett said, according to MMA Fighting's Marc Raimondi. "I have a standard operating procedure that I use and when it comes to finances, I don't even want to hear about it. The money does not enter into my position as an executive director."

The bout has drawn no shortage of scrutiny from the combat sports world, largely due to McGregor's lack of professional boxing experience, but Bennett - a self-proclaimed "conservative" matchmaker - maintained the Irishman's credentials in the cage and the matchup's magnitude made it an "approvable" fight.

"Conor is the younger, stronger, the longer, more powerful puncher. As you know in the UFC, he fought featherweight, lightweight, welterweight. His record is 21-3 in MMA - 18 of those wins have come by way of KO or TKO. So he's a premier striker, knockout artist. He's a young, aggressive warrior who believes he's gonna win. And that attitude unto itself makes it very dangerous."

Bennett took his stance one step further, stating any of the NSAC's counterparts would have greenlit what will mark McGregor's pro boxing debut, and not because of how much scratch stands to be made.

"I do think if this fight came to any other commission, they would more than likely - if they did their homework - they would approve it. Based on facts, not on dollars.

"When it comes to the finances, I cut the people off right away, respectfully, because it does not enter into the equation on whether or not I approve a fight."

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox