He may be coming off of a loss, but it’s impossible to overlook what Conor McGregor has achieved in MMA.
Both inside and outside of the cage we’ve seen the Irishman become the sport’s biggest star ever. In order to ascend to that status, he’s had to back up his outspoken nature with big performance after big performance.
Starting back in April 2013 he went on a run unlike anything the UFC had seen before. It wasn’t just who he was beating either, it was how he was beating them and the insane crowds he brought wherever he went.
As the world gears up for a potential trilogy fight between the Irishman and Dustin Poirier, we thought it’d be wise to take a trip down memory lane and pick out some of his most impressive moments inside the Octagon.
Diego Brandao
In front of over 9,000 passionate Irish fans in Dublin, Conor McGregor put on a clinic.
In his UFC return after an almost year-long lay-off, Conor overcame early pressure from Brandao before putting him away towards the end of the first round. Oh, and the roof just about came off the 3Arena.
Nate Diaz 2
McGregor was brought to a screeching halt in his first bout with Diaz. Still, with it being taken on short notice, many wanted to see how “The Notorious” would fare given more time to prepare.
The second fight was no walkover, but McGregor stepped up and went to war – producing one of the most enthralling battles in recent UFC history.
Jose Aldo
Conor could fight Jose Aldo 100 times and he’d probably never catch him as perfectly as he did at UFC 194.
Between the mind games and the hype surrounding the fight we all expected something special to happen on that night in Las Vegas, yet even with that being the case, no one predicted the 13-second finish that would materialise.
Chad Mendes
For years fans had wondered what would happen when McGregor was put under pressure by a world-class wrestler. At UFC 189, Conor answered the call.
In another short-notice affair he locked horns with the undeniably great Chad Mendes. After being put under an astonishing amount of scrutiny, McGregor viciously finished Mendes to capture the Interim Featherweight Championship.
Eddie Alvarez
UFC 205 – the night Conor McGregor’s legacy as a legend of the game was confirmed.
No man or woman had ever simultaneously held two belts in two different weight classes in the UFC. Then, at Madison Square Garden, McGregor was at his absolute best when he demolished Eddie Alvarez to become the new UFC Lightweight Champion.
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