McGregor at center of UFC’s universe

The most important figure at UFC 209 on Saturday wasn’t inside T-Mobile Arena, but perhaps dining with Italian billionaires or posing for pictures while standing next to a Ferrari outside European convenience stores or tooling around Venice Beach on a scooter.

Conor McGregor is seemingly everywhere nowadays except the octagon, which hardly diminishes his massive presence in the sport.

He remains very much the face of the UFC, even if his mug is more apt to be seen on Instagram breaking bread with the family of a former Italian prime minister.

Some disappointments are too profound to hide, so there is no use trying to minimize the effect losing the co-main event between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson had on UFC 209, one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history going away because it seems the guy who likes to rock the Papakha needs to spend less time wresting bears and more time on the treadmill.

What made matters worse: The main event, which saw Tyron Woodley retain his welterweight belt via majority decision against Stephen Thompson, was absolutely brutal, a virtual Mountain West of UFC title fights.

Nurmagomedov might be 24-0 in mixed martial arts, but the Russian obviously has it rough cutting to 155 pounds. It was so difficult this time, he found himself at Sunrise Hospital and

Medical Center on Thursday night being pumped with fluids before doctors deemed him unfit to fight.

Which brought some interesting comments from UFC president Dana White, who told reporters the Nurmagomedov camp “went rogue and did their own thing,” insisting had the fighter instead gone to UFC doctors, the fight might have been saved.

I’m absolutely certain those checking vitals for the UFC would have discovered a way to clear the bear wrestler.

You know, pay-per-view receipts and all …

But those at Sunrise — the place White called “some random hospital here in Las Vegas” — didn’t.

Thus, the lightweight match everyone has waited a few years to see was canceled for the third time.

More important, a fight for the interim lightweight title might have brought some clarity on what comes next for McGregor.

He is king of the weight class, the one who generates by far the most money for the UFC, and yet his combat interests lately have been aimed toward Floyd Mayweather Jr. and potentially enticing one of boxing’s all-time greats out of retirement for a match that would unquestionably shatter all pay-perview records.

It would take a whole lot of promotional folks and commissions and egos to actually agree on a deal, but the more time passes, the more those within both sports believe it could happen.

Many want a third UFC fight for McGregor with Nate Diaz at 170 pounds. Some have floated the idea of McGregor against Georges StPierre at the same weight now that one of the sport’s most dominant figures has returned.

The sad part: In failing to make weight for UFC 209, Nurmagomedov handed McGregor a perfect reason for denying any proposed fight between the two, not a crazy notion given how many believe the Russian is a terrible matchup for McGregor and probably would win.

Which means this bear wrestler guy might have really messed things up not being able to fight Saturday.

Ferguson, one of those indoor sunglasses guys, doesn’t want anyone forgetting about his claim to being the best lightweight. He at least made weight and had fun talking about how McGregor should next fight whoever eventually holds the interim title. If anyone ever does. “I don’t give a (bleep),” Ferguson said. “If you’re next in line and you have the belt, (McGregor) is going to have to fight, either way. That’s just how I see it. If you don’t take the fight, you’re a (bleep). Straight up, man. You’re in the wrong sport. Go box. Boxing will chew you up and spit you out.”

UFC 209 highlights included an underdog the likes of an NCAA 16 seed in Darren Elkins bleeding profusely through a preliminary card featherweight fight and yet beating Mirsad Bektic in dramatic fashion; and Dan Kelly, 39 and now my favorite fighter for the fact he wears a YMCA hoops knee brace and could be the one professional athlete slower than I am, might have sent former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans into retirement with a split-decision win at 185 pounds.

But there was no NurmagomedovFerguson, and that meant no clarity on what might be next for Conor McGregor.

Because even when he’s not part of a card, he remains the story.