UFC and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are discussing a deal that would bring the undefeated boxer into mixed martial arts, according to UFC president Dana White.
"We're talking to Floyd about doing a UFC deal," White told ESPN. "It's real. He was talking about [boxing] Conor McGregor. Was that real? Have you heard Floyd talk about many things that aren't real? He usually tips his hand when he's in the media, and then that s--- ends up happening.
"We're interested in doing something with Floyd. Everything is a realistic possibility. Mayweather vs. McGregor f---ing happened. Anything is possible."
Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) is less than four months removed from an extremely lucrative boxing match against McGregor, UFC's biggest star. After winning the bout via TKO in the 10th round, the 40-year-old promised it would be the final fight of his career.
During a live social media stream earlier this month, however, Mayweather said he could sign with the UFC. He reiterated that stance in another video for Fight Hype on Wednesday.
"Exactly what I said is this: If I could make over a billion dollars before, I could do it again," Mayweather said Wednesday in response to White's comments. "If I chose to get in the UFC and fight three fights or fight four fights and then fight Conor McGregor, I could make a billion dollars. Which I can. I could do it in three fights or even four fights -- I could make a billion dollars if I choose to get in the Octagon and fight."
During the buildup to the McGregor fight, which drew 4.3 million domestic pay-per-view buys, according to Showtime, Mayweather said on several occasions that the two could fight in MMA. Those claims were widely met with skepticism.
Even if Mayweather is serious about a UFC deal, it is highly unlikely he would face McGregor (21-3), UFC's lightweight champion.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission sanctioned a boxing match, but it would be much harder to justify sanctioning an MMA fight, where Mayweather would face an even greater disadvantage than McGregor did in the boxing ring.
According to Showtime, the Mayweather-McGregor event generated more than $600 million in revenue. White told ESPN that global pay-per-view buys settled at around 6.5 million.
"There was no way I thought that fight was going to happen, but when you sit down with a smart guy like [Mayweather adviser] Al Haymon, a very intelligent guy, anything is possible," White said. "And Floyd, as much as he does the money thing and this and that, Floyd was actually very easy to work with. I was impressed."