Conor McGregor is Getting into the Business of Protecting His Business

Conor McGregor is getting more and more serious by the day about the business of being Conor McGregor.

While McGregor and boxing champion Floyd Mayweather may be jawwing at each other via social media, the Irishman is following in “Money's” footsteps when it comes to the business of being a worldwide celebrity.

McGregor's company, McGregor Sports and Entertainment, has been filing for trademarks recently, including the fighter's name and his nickname, “The Notorious.” Just what is in the plans for those trademarks, besides protecting them from others who might wish to piggyback on the first dual-division UFC champion's fame?

“The two filings, which were recently posted on the website for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, state that McGregor intends to use the trademarks with products such as aftershave, video games, books, clothing, restaurants, barbershops and health clubs,” wrote Darren Rovell, ESPN's sports business expert, who noted that despite their licenses to use his name and nickname, neither Reebok nor the UFC owns the trademarks.

The business of mixed martial arts is changing swiftly, and fighters are getting louder and louder with their demands for a bigger piece of the pie, McGregor's move to protect his trademark may not be directly significant for other fighters, but it could serve as an example for how to begin protecting an individual's brand. After all, he is simply following the footsteps that Mayweather has been treading for years.

ESPN notes that the legendary boxer has filed for more than 230 trademarks in the past six and a half years.