UFC CEO Dana White recently strutted onto the cover of Forbes like a heavyweight champ. Titled ‘Populist Capitalist, White’s appearance on the magazine cover made waves across the MMA sphere and beyond. But while the UFC boss basks in the billion-dollar glow of his empire, another massive name in the fame game has decided to make a splash of his own.
Enter Conor McGregor. Not in a cage. Not in a suit. But on the glossy cover of the, ‘Costco Connection magazine! In the land of boardrooms and branding, McGregor has brought the same energy that made him a menace during his rise inside the Octagon. And when Dana White’s Forbes cover dropped, it seemingly lit a fire under the Irishman—one he’s clearly channeling into his passion project: TIDL Sport.
In a post on Instagram from the official ‘TIDL’ account, it was revealed, “When your recovery routine ends up on the cover of Costco. Power. Precision. McGregor.”
Launched in 2020, TIDL Sport isn’t your average pain relief brand. According to CEO Badal Shah, in a conversation with Men’s Journal, “We took a look at the sports recovery space and noticed the focus was entirely on pain relief, and in most cases the relief is temporary.”
Their focus? Inflammation. To fight it, they crafted a daily-use cryotherapy spray, which McGregor has often endorsed. And if that wasn’t enough, TIDL Sport boasts plant-based formulas, grown on their own Oregon farms. Still, for Conor McGregor, this is bigger than recovery. It’s about reclaiming the spotlight. Remember—this is the man who topped Forbes’ highest-paid athletes list in 2021.
And when Dana White graced the Forbes cover earlier this year, McGregor didn’t just scroll past. He posted it on his Instagram story, holding the magazine and wrote, “Dana White, congrats on the Forbes cover, a man that helped me top the Forbes Highest Paid Athlete list!”
But now? The student is seemingly gunning for the teacher’s crown. With his involvement in the BKFC, Proper No. Twelve, August McGregor fashion line, and now, TIDL Sport. Each move has made ‘The Notorious’ kingdom grow by leaps and bounds.
In the end, maybe it’s not about who’s on which cover. It’s about what they’re covering. Dana White is the architect of a global fight machine. Conor McGregor? He’s the product, the brand, the empire in motion!
But every empire has its origin story. And for McGregor and the UFC boss, it all started with a dinner that would change the course of MMA history!
Dana White reveals he predicted Conor McGregor’s rise from their first meeting
The UFC signed Conor McGregor in 2013. But before he made his first foray inside the Octagon, Dana White already knew he had something special in his hands. In a recent conversation with ‘Bro Bible, ’ the UFC boss revealed, “I went to dinner when we first signed him, he flew out here to Vegas, and he and I went to dinner. It was my first real interaction with him.”
The scene sounds like something out of a sports movie. A fight promoter with an eye for stars, and a brash Irishman with fire in his soul, sitting across the table from one another.
White had seen hundreds of fighters, all hungry, all hopeful. But McGregor? He had something else. White further shared, “When I left that dinner, I called my partner Lorenzo [Fertitta] and said, ‘Let me tell you what, I don’t know if this kid can fight or not. But if he can even throw a punch, he’s going to be a massive superstar.’”
And we all know how that turned out. Of course, things have changed. These days, McGregor isn’t the same whirlwind in the MMA world he once was. He’s more mogul than marauder, with fight fans and pundits wondering if he is even relevant to the game anymore.
Still, love him or loathe him, Conor McGregor remains impossible to ignore. Whether he’s throwing left hands or launching lifestyle brands, the Irishman has found a way to stay in the conversation—even when he’s not in the cage.
What started over a Vegas dinner has become a global spectacle. And while Dana White continues to expand his empire from the boardroom, McGregor is carving out his own kingdom. The real question now is: What’s next for McGregor? Can he still punch his way back into the Octagon—or has he already won the game by changing it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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