Empty Mayweather-McGregor arena leaves MMA community aghast

With the boxing and MMA worlds merging for the bizarre bout between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, those in attendance at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas via their work covering UFC were always in for a culture shock.

And true to form, when the 20,000 seater remained almost entirely empty as the four-bout main PPV card began, the volume of surprise from MMA writers and fans alike on Twitter was sizeable.

Of course, those more familiar with boxing and its ways can inform Mr. Helwani and company that its fans often only enter the building in time for the main fights. That is especially the case with cards such as MayMac, with all the emphasis on the main event. And even more so in cities like Las Vegas when ticket prices are extortionate and the majority of those attending are celebrities.

MMA enthusiasts can take solace in the fact that the UFC draws more consistent interest in all of their fights and all of their cards, even when superstars like McGregor are not competing.

But when boxing is big, it’s really really big – and few of its fans take notice of anything else on the undercard.

Which is a shame for the likes of Britain’s own Nathan Cleverly, who fought Badou Jack on the PPV undercard.