Why is Mendes vs. McGregor the main event at UFC 189?

I already know the answer to this question but it’s worth asking anyway. Why are featherweights Chad Mendes and Conor McGregor headlining UFC 189? Even if Jose Aldo was still fighting on the card, why would Aldo vs. McGregor be the main event when Robbie Lawler will be defending his welterweight title on the same card?

According to UFC President Dana White’s statements in Nov. 2014, when there are two title fights on a card, the heavier weight class should serve as the main event. When Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort were originally supposed to headline UFC 184 with a middleweight championship bout, Ronda Rousey was to defend her bantamweight title in the co-main.

“It has nothing to with her (Rousey) not being a star,” White said. “It goes by weight. If she was the highest weighted champion on the card, she would be the main event, but you have two guys that are middleweights and she weighs 135 pounds – so she’s the co-main.”

So what gives?

You know what gives. He’s 5-foot 9-inches and Irish.

This is not the first time White has changed his stance on something (see women in UFC). But it is a little surprising because Lawler actually already is the champion and he’s defending the title. Neither Mendes nor McGregor are champions, though they are competing for the interim belt now that Aldo is out.

But like Rory MacDonald said on today’s UFC 189 conference call, “Conor is good for the sport. He makes us all more money.” It is believed more than 2,500 tickets to UFC 189 have been purchased by McGregor fans in Ireland. He’s the man of the hour and a huge superstar for the company. As he likes to say, it’s the Conor McGregor show when he’s on a card.

But there’s also something to be said about paying respect to those who paved the way. Guys like Robbie Lawler who is a current champion and longtime veteran. This guy was fighting when Conor McGregor was playing with Power Rangers.

If McGregor gets worked by Mendes on July 11 then his superstar status will suffer and this decision by the UFC looks even worse. But if he wins, look out, because there will be no end in sight for the McGregor media machine.