Childhood and youth
Conor Anthony McGregor was born in the Irish city of Dublin on July 14, 1988, and his zodiac sign is Gemini. Already as a child, the boy showed interest in sports and initially became interested in football. The guy was an ardent fan of Manchester United FC, and he himself played for the Luders Celtic club. McGregor spent his childhood in Dublin, and in 2006 the family moved to Lucan.
Conor says that no matter his age and no matter how difficult the fights were, his mother always played a big role in his career. It was she who agreed with McGregor’s coach to convince his son not to give up martial arts when difficult times came. Mom still often attends Conor’s fights and supports him in all his endeavors.
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Conor McGregor in his youth with his sister Erin
Even when McGregor had not yet thought about becoming a professional fighter, fighting was already a part of his life. During his school years, Conor often got into fights, and therefore his parents often had to see the principal.
The champion's first professional coach was John Kavan, under whose supervision the young athlete trained for ten years. John taught his coach that great people are not afraid to lose, they just get up and continue training.
Who is McGregor?
Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1988, McGregor rose from tough surroundings to become the biggest star in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). After joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 2013, "The Notorious" unified the featherweight division with his title win in 2020, and the following year he became a dual-division champion, winning the lightweight division. McGregor also famously fought against boxing Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2020. He announced his retirement from MMA in March 2020.
Personal life
Conor McGregor's personal life is the complete opposite of what happens in the ring, quiet and measured. The fighter's chosen one is the beautiful Dee Devlin. The couple's love story began in an Irish nightclub and resulted in a wedding in 2007. The wife never stopped believing in Conor and supported him even when her husband did not bring money. In an interview with the Irish Mirror, the fighter said that Dee had to work hard at that time, so now he is happy to compensate the woman he loves for all the physical and mental suffering.
McGregor involved his other half in managing personal income. The athlete jokes that for this reason she is always around: “Dee collects checks.” In addition to his earnings in the ring, Conor's bank account is replenished from contracts with Bud Light, Reebok and Monster Energy. Everything in life has a price, the man believes, and in order to chill on the beach tomorrow, today he participates in fights.
In the fall of 2020, it became known that Conor and Dee were expecting a child. The news pleased the fighter: family and children are no less important to him than a stellar career. The Irishman decided to give up fighting until May 2017, as his wife was always very worried when he fought. The son was named Conor Jack McGregor. The child and his mother attended his father’s first tournament after retraining from a mixed martial arts fighter to a boxer.
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Conor McGregor and wife Dee Devlin with children
McGregor is an active user of Instagram. The athlete often posts photos showing fans new tattoos, showing off in a business suit or demonstrating how his hairstyle has changed.
The music Conor usually plays to when he enters the ring is a song by Sinead O'Connor & The Chieftains called The Foggy Dew. The Irishman loves sports cars and, according to a number of websites, is fond of origami. In 2017, the book “Conor McGregor. Life without rules" by John Kavanagh.
In 2020, McGregor presented Proper Twelve Irish whiskey, produced at the family distillery Erie Born Spirits. Part of the proceeds—$5 per bottle—is planned to be donated to charity. The athlete said that he wants to support rescue units in those regions where the drink is sold.
Arrests
In April 2020, two days before the start of the UFC 223 event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, McGregor showed up with an entourage at the end of the media event and began wreaking havoc by throwing his arm out a truck on a bus. Broken glass injured some of the UFC fighters inside, two of whom saw their future fights canceled as a result.
White, who called the incident "the most despicable thing in UFC history," said the Irish fighter tried to justify his actions through text, explaining the bad blood between his and Nurmagomedov's camp. After turning himself in to the NYPD that night, McGregor was arrested and charged with three counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct.
In March 2020, McGregor was arrested on charges of armed robbery and disorderly conduct in Miami, Florida. According to the police report, the fighter hit the fan's phone and hand as they left the club and began to walk away from it. McGregor was booked into the Miami-Dade Jail the same day and released after posting bonds.
On March 26, the same day he announced his retirement from MMA, it was revealed that McGregor was under investigation in Ireland for sexual assault. The alleged incident occurred in Dublin in December 2020, leading McGregor to be arrested and released the following month, pending further investigation.
Sport
The fighter began his sports career in MMA as a lightweight fighter, when his height was about 175 cm and his weight was about 66 kg. In the first serious fight, which took place in 2007 at the Ring of Truth 6 tournament, Conor technically knocked out Ciaran Campbell in the first 5 minutes and became the winner. A year later, at the Cage of Truth tournament, the young athlete defeated Gary Morris, at the Cage Rage Championship - Mo Taylor, and defeated Paddy Doherty and Mike Wood by clean knockout.
Conor's first fights included both winning and losing fights. In 2008, McGregor was defeated by Lithuanian athlete Artemy Sitenkov, and a couple of years later by compatriot Joseph Duffy.
The main problem for the Irishman at that time was not fighting technique, but financial difficulties. At some point, Conor worked as a plumber, like his father, and decided to put sports on the back burner. However, soon after watching the 2009 Ultimate Fighting Championship, he began training hard again.
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Conor McGregor and his daughter
In 2012, McGregor moved up to featherweight and in just 2 fights became the leader of the Cage Warriors. Then he returned to the lightweight category and took the championship title from Ivan Buchinger, simultaneously becoming the current champion in two categories at once.
The leadership of the UFC, which once inspired McGregor to resume training, was impressed by the athlete’s success and offered a professional contract. The fighter’s first opponent in the new organization was Marcus Brimage, whom Conor met at UF Con Fue lTV. Brimage actively attacked the Irishman, but was defeated under the weight of his technical and extremely accurate blows.
The next opponent was Max Holloway, whom Conor also defeated. However, during this fight he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, due to which doctors banned him from participating in fights for 10 months. Upon returning to his active career, the athlete performed in his native Dublin at UFC Fight Night 46, defeating Diego Brandan by technical knockout in the 1st round.
Do you recognize?
Conor McGregor without a beard in July 2012. #better with a beard #statue #McGregor #ufc #mma #young #macgregor #conor #mma #ufc Published by Faith Media Tuesday, April 19, 2020
Conor McGregor without a beard
This was followed by several more victories and a challenge to Jose Aldo, at that time the current UFC featherweight champion. The promoters planned the fight for July 2020, and until then McGregor tried in every possible way to keep Aldo off balance. During a press conference in Dublin, he grabbed the champion's belt from his future opponent's table. However, Jose suffered a broken rib and was unable to fight Conor.
The Irishman's opponent in the scheduled match was two-time NCAA champion Chad Mendes, whom McGregor successfully defeated, gaining the status of interim featherweight champion.
The Irishman's first defeat in UFC battles was inflicted by Nate Diaz in February 2016. In August of the same year, in a rematch for the UFC welterweight championship, McGregor still defeated Diaz, although the meeting lasted a long time and turned out to be spectacular.
And in the fall of 2016, Conor won the UFC lightweight champion title: American Eddie Alvarez, who wore the award belt before him, was unable to withstand the fight with the energetic fighter.
Vladimir Putin and Conor McGregor.
After the final match of the World Championship Published by TagilCity.ru: Nizhny Tagil News Monday, July 16, 2020
Conor McGregor and Vladimir Putin
At the same time, the famous Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov began to speak out about his desire to meet with McGregor. Another athlete eager to fight the Irishman is the winner of numerous titles, Floyd Mayweather.
UFS President Dana White, according to press reports, said that 2 belts for one athlete is too much. Perhaps because Aldo threatened to retire if he didn't get a rematch. UFS did not want to let such a star go, and loud headlines appeared in the media that McGregor was “vacating” the title. But for Conor’s fans, it looked as if the championship had been taken away from their favorite.
The fight with Mayweather, scheduled for August 26, 2017 in Las Vegas, became the main event of the year. Press conferences with mutual insults and promises to tear each other apart fueled public interest.
?Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor met before the upcoming fight.
Who are you rooting for? #khabibnurmagomedov #mma #ufc Published by Kyrgyz Top Team Thursday, September 20, 2020
Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov
The Irishman, in his characteristic manner, without mincing words and not skimping on threats, promised at every meeting with journalists to beat 40-year-old Mayweather in the 2nd round. However, the Irishman's talent as a showman turned out to be at a level higher than that of boxing. In the 10th round, Mayweather knocked out the defiant McGregor, winning the fight of the century.
Immediately after the fight, Mayweather announced his retirement. The boxer also admitted that on the eve of the meeting he injured his hand.
The closer the October fight between Conor and Khabib got, the more insults the fighters directed at each other. Relatives, other athletes, even government officials were involved. The organizers did not allow fans to attend the pre-fight press conference, where the parties again practiced foul language.
Singer Rita Ora, model Jourdan Dunn, supermodel Irina Shayk and happy McGregor.
A typical Monday for Conor?? Published by Eurosport Tuesday 5 December 2020
Rita Ora, Jourdan Dunn, Irina Shayk and Conor McGregor
In September 2020, the media spread information that UFS offered McGregor an unprecedented contract. Under the terms of the agreement, the Irishman holds 8 fights, and the meeting with Nurmagomedov is only the first in line. The financial side of the issue remained secret. In addition, the fighter’s signature whiskey brand acts as a sponsor of all fights.
On October 7, 2020, the meeting of the year took place between Conor and Khabib, which ended with the victory of the Russian after a choke hold in the 4th round. Immediately after the fight, Nurmagomedov climbed over the fence and attacked the Irishman’s coach, which provoked a massive fight between the parties.
As a result, Khabib defended his champion title, but they refused to solemnly present him with the belt, citing the Russian’s indecent behavior. According to Khabib, throughout the preparation for the fight and the advertising campaign, Conor and his team repeatedly insulted Nurmagomedov, religion and members of his family.
McGregor's professional career
Conor McGregor's sports career predictably began in the lightweight division, since the fighter's anthropometric data did not exceed 175/66. In 2007, he had his first fight in the ROT: Ring of Truth 6 tournament and became the undisputed winner (technical knockout already in the first five-minute round). Conor's opponent was Ciaran Campbell. For him, this fight was the first and last in his career.
Conor McGregor's entire body is covered in tattoos.
In 2008, victories followed in the “Cage of Truth” and “Cage Rage” tournaments. Conor's opponents in these fights were Gary Morris and Mo Taylor, respectively.
McGregor also had failures. After the victories, the fighter lost to the Lithuanian athlete Artemy Sitenkov. Then came the loss to Joseph Duffy.
The fighter’s mother always provided him with the necessary support. According to Conor, when he was completely desperate and wanted to leave the sport, she took his fate into her own hands: she talked to his coach and convinced him to continue training. Since then, the woman goes to all her son’s fights and hugs him after the final gong.
Conor McGregor often posts photos on Instagram
When Conor scored his tenth victory in the professional ring, he lost weight and moved to the featherweight category. The title of champion according to the CageWarriors organization was evidence of the correctness of his choice. However, he later returned to the lightweight category. He won the champion title in this category in a fight with the Slovak athlete Ivan Buchinger.
Best knockouts
In September 2014, spectators rejoiced when Conor finished his fight against Dustin Poirier with a spectacular knockout. This was only McGregor's fourth fight in the UFC. Until then, the Irishman had been nothing more than an aggressive newbie who enjoyed teasing his opponents, and this victory gave him the chance to really make his mark.
The meeting with Joje Aldo, which took place in December 2020, was supposed to be an exciting event. However, already in the 13th second of the 1st round, Conor delivered a blow to the opponent’s jaw and won the championship title.
The fighter’s colleague Yoel Romero called McGregor an “amazing guy” and said that thanks to Conor, martial arts began to develop even more rapidly, and the salary bar in the UFC rose higher. McGregor himself openly admits that he is one of the strongest fighters in history, pointing out that he has never been defeated by knockout, including by technical knockout.
Tattoos
Along with his fighting prowess and bold statements, McGregor is known for the numerous tattoos that adorn his body. He says he got his first Arabic script tattoo on his left heel at age 20 after a night of drinking. Otherwise, much of the ink has appeared since he moved to the UFC in 2013, including one large one on the chest of a gorilla wearing a crown and biting into the heart, and a tiger on his stomach, between his last name and his nickname, McGregor also has winged cross on the back of the head, . Connected to a spiral of thorns running down his back, and a jumble of rose bushes writing shapes scattered across his left forearm.
Scandals and appearance
Conor became famous not only for his victories, but also for his spectacular appearance, arousing the admiration of women and the envy of men. The brutal athlete prefers elegant suits outside the octagon and regularly appears in front of fans with new hairstyles.
A signature feature of McGregor's style is his thick beard. According to him, he decided to grow it out to hide the scars on his face and skin imperfections.
The athlete's wardrobe includes coats made of natural fur, which is why he often becomes the target of attacks from animal rights activists. During the debut UFC event in New York, Conor came out to the public in a snow-white Gucci fur coat, after which environmental activists bombarded his account with protests and accusations of cruelty.
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Conor McGregor in a suit
Conor enters the Octagon with a signature gait, which was invented by promoter Vince McMahon - straight back, relaxed arms, nose up. Detractors ridicule this “trick” of the athlete, but he also has imitators, for example, Paul Pogba.
Promoters adore Conor not only for his rich fighting arsenal and his willingness, while bleeding, to go to the end. In the field of Pay-Per-View, where viewers pay to watch television content, the Irishman has no equal. McGregor has talent as a newsmaker outside the sporting field as well. The athlete’s eloquence, fights with the referee and security guards have already become the talk of the town. Even the film about his life is called “Notorious.” And in the spring of 2020, Conor caused a stir by attacking a bus with participants of the UFC 223 tournament, in which Khabib Nurmagomedov and American Ray Borg were sitting.
If the Russian only laughed in response to the prank of his future opponent, then Borg received an eye injury. To McGregor's credit, he voluntarily surrendered to the police, was later released on bail and paid a fine.
In April 2019, the fighter became involved in another scandal, this time unsportsmanlike. In the Marble Arch pub in Dublin, McGregor punched an old man who refused to drink whiskey with him. Security forced the athlete to leave the establishment. The police have launched an investigation, but it is still unknown whether Conor was punished.
Options and fighting style
McGregor stands 5 9″ and has a 74″ reach, measurements that tend to give him an advantage in his matches. He primarily fought at featherweight (145 lbs) and lightweight (155 lbs), but moved up to 170 lbs for his welterweight bouts.
McGregor is trained in a variety of disciplines, including Capoeira, Tae Kwon Do and Karate, and is a brown belt with the techniques of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. However, he is primarily known for his pure punching power, especially for the left hook that has sent numerous opponents to the mat.
Conor McGregor now
In 2020, the athlete did not enter the octagon: after the defeat from Nurmagomedov, it took 15 months to recover and regain shape. It was even rumored that that fight would be McGregor’s last, but the fighter decided otherwise.
During this time, the Irishman visited Russia, where he became a guest of the “Evening Urgant” program. The episode with his participation eventually took 2nd place in terms of views for the year. During the visit, McGregor praised the vodka offered, conducted a training session to the Russian anthem and promised to root for Russian athletes at Euro 2020. However, there were conflicts: after offensive quotes addressed to the Dagestanis in Moscow, the fighter was pursued by ill-wishers, and during training they even threw a bottle at him. Luckily, Conor managed to dodge.
In January 2020, McGregor came out to fight again and defeated American Donald Cowboy Cerrone, with the fight ending in less than a minute. The audience simply could not believe their eyes when McGregor knocked down a strong opponent with just a few punches. In Russia, the fight was broadcast by the Ren-TV channel. In relation to Donald, the Irishman behaved unexpectedly tactfully: during the battle of views, he offered his hand, and after the victory, the first thing he did was hug and console the defeated Cerrone.
Later, UFC fans agreed that the fight was staged: thus, the management simply organized a spectacular return for Conor. The fighter’s colleagues, in particular Nate Diaz, also shared this opinion.
In the fall of 2020, the athlete was scheduled to fight with the winner of the Khabib Nurmagomedov-Tony Ferguson fight. It is obvious that the UFC management again wants to bring the Irishman together with the Russian, since the public is eager for the final “showdown” between the sworn enemies.
MMA career
Debut
McGregor made his professional debut on March 8, 2008, for the London-based promotion Cage Warriors, winning by technical knockout. He lost two of his first six fights before bouncing back with an impressive winning streak, claiming both the featherweight and lightweight championships in 2012.
UFC
Signed by UFC president Dana White in early 2013, McGregor impressed with a first-round knockout in his April debut for the organization. He continued his winning ways until the end of July 2015, when he defeated Chad Mendes for the interim featherweight title. In December, he knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to unify the featherweight title.
Nate Diaz
With lightweight Rafael dos Anjos pulled from his scheduled March 2020 title fight due to injury, McGregor jumped up another weight class to fight Nate Diaz at 170 pounds. The Irishman was eventually worn out by Diaz before being sent to Chokehold, ending his 15-match winning streak.
In their highly anticipated rematch that August, McGregor again jumped out to a fast start before the tide turned around. almost two years since his last fight in the UFC to challenge the new lightweight champion, Nurmagomedov. Immediately after Nurmagomedov's fourth round victory, both sides erupted in a post-match brawl, resulting in a six-month suspension for McGregor.
Care
On March 26, 2020, McGregor announced via Twitter that he was retiring from the sport that made him famous. He finished his MMA career with a record of 21 wins and four losses.
Biography
Conor Anthony McGregor (Irish: Conchúr Antóin Mac Gréagóir; born July 14, 1988) is an Irish professional mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the UFC lightweight champion and former featherweight champion. During his career, McGregor competed in the lightweight, featherweight and welterweight divisions.
Conor McGregor
McGregor began his MMA career in 2008 and won the CWFC Lightweight and Featherweight Championships in 2012, winning both titles at the same time and holding them until signing with the UFC. In 2015, at UFC 194, McGregor defeated Jose Aldo for the UFC featherweight championship in thirteen seconds. It was the fastest title win in UFC history. After defeating lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, McGregor became the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously.
Youth
McGregor was born in Dublin, Ireland. His parents are Tony and Margaret McGregor. He grew up in the South Dublin suburb of Crumlin and studied at the Coláiste de hÍde in Tull, where he developed a passion for sport, playing football for Lourdes Celtic Football Club.
McGregor began kickboxing as a child, and at the age of 12 he began boxing at a boxing club in Crumlin, where he often trained with Dean Byrne and Jamie Cavan, who later began training in the Wheel Card gym, under the guidance of Freddie Roach. McGregor later became the Irish youth boxing champion.
Young McGregor
In 2006 he and his family moved to Lucan, West Dublin. There he begins training to become a plumber. While in Lucan, he meets future UFC fighter Tom Egan, with whom they soon begin training in mixed martial arts.
Starting a Career in Mixed Martial Arts
On February 17, 2007, at the age of 18, McGregor made his amateur mixed martial arts debut against Kieran Campbell for the Irish Ring of Trust in Dublin. He won in the first round by technical knockout. After the fight, he turned professional and signed a contract with the Irish Cage of Trust. In 2008, McGregor began training at the Straight Blast gym in Dublin, under the guidance of John Kavanagh.
Professional career in mixed martial arts:
Early career (2008–2013):
On March 9, 2008, McGregor fought his first professional fight as a lightweight, defeating Gary Morris in the second round by technical knockout. After defeating Moe Taylor, he made his debut at featherweight, being defeated by Artemy Sitenkov via submission. After winning his next featherweight bout against Stephen Bailey, McGregor decided to change careers, but his mother contacted his trainer and dissuaded him from doing so.
McGregor won his next fight, also at featherweight, against Connor Dillon, and then returned to the lightweight category. There, in a fight against Joseph Duffy, McGregor suffered his second defeat in his professional career after Joseph took him for a choke. McGregor then went on an eight-fight winning streak throughout 2011-2012, during which he won both the CWFC lightweight and featherweight championships, making him the first European fighter in MMA history to be a champion in both divisions. In February 2013, UFC President Dana White traveled to Dublin to accept the Gold Medal of Honor from Trinity College and was inundated with requests to welcome McGregor to the UFC. A few days after meeting McGregor, White offered him a contract.
2013:
In February 2013, the UFC announced that it had signed a multi-fight contract with McGregor.
On April 6, 2013, McGregor made his UFC debut in a fight against Marcus Brimage. Brimage started the fight aggressively, meeting McGregor in the middle of the octagon before pushing him back with a flurry of punches. However, he was able to do little to counter McGregor's precise strikes. The latter soon began to use a hook, which brought him victory. The fight was stopped at 1:07 of the first round. This victory also earned McGregor the Knockout of the Night award.
Conor McGregor vs Holloway
McGregor was expected to face Andy Ogle on August 17, 2013, but Andy was forced to withdraw due to injury and was replaced by Max Holloway. McGregor confused Holloway with his unusual fighting technique. He used a variety of Taekwondo strikes, many of which are rarely used in MMA. With their help, McGregor was able to control a significant area around him. He also used sweeping kicks. After taking his opponent to the ground, McGregor used a series of different holds. McGregor won the fight by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26).
During the second round, McGregor felt a crunch in his knee. Subsequent examination revealed that he had an anterior cruciate ligament injury that required surgery. The doctor banned McGregor from fighting for nine months. The Holloway fight was the subject of a 2014 documentary called Notorious.
2014:
On July 19, 2014, McGregor was scheduled to face Cole Miller. However, Miller cited a dislocated thumb during training and was replaced by Diego Brandao. The fight took place in front of a huge, boisterous crowd of 9,500 at the O2 Stadium in Dublin. McGregor started the fight with a side kick and then moved on to various taekwondo strikes. Brandao, a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, tried to grab McGregor, but both of his attempts were successfully neutralized by McGregor. However, most of the battle took place on the ground. In the third minute, when the fighters were back on their feet, McGregor began using a cross with his left hand and trapped Brandao. At 4:05 the fight was stopped by referee Leon Roberts. The victory earned Magregor his first Performance of the Night award.
Before his next fight, McGregor met with Lorenzo Fertitta and signed a new multi-fight contract with the UFC. Next he faced Dustin Poirier. The fight took place on September 27, 2014 at UFC 178 and was one of the most anticipated fights. McGregor and Poirier, along with then-headliners Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier, took part in the pre-match press conference. The anticipation for their fight was understandable, since Poirier was McGregor's first opponent ranked in the top ten UFC fighters. McGregor won the game in the first round, starting by peppering his opponent with long punches and eventually landing a hook to his ear, forcing the referee to intervene. The match was stopped at 1:46. This was Poirier's first knockout. This fight also brought Magregor the “Perfomance of the Night” award for the second time in a row. In the post-fight interview, McGregor said his next goal was the UFC Featherweight Championship and stated, "If the UFC wants it, I'll take out Chad Mendes and give the fans what they want - Aldo vs. McGregor."
2015:
McGregor's unconditional victory over Poirier, as well as arrogant statements towards the current featherweight champion Jose Aldo, allowed McGregor to get closer to the title fight. At the time, a fight between McGregor and Dennis Siver was scheduled to take place on January 18, 2020 at UFC Gight Night 59. UFC President Dana White said at the time that "if McGregor wins this fight, he could face Aldo for the Featherweight Championship in 2020." The fight sparked McGregor's return to Boston, and was the fourth-highest attended UFC event, with an official attendance of 13,828.
Meeting McGregor and Siver
Throughout the fight, Siver tried to keep his distance, with the exception of several attempts to grab McGregor. He, in turn, constantly kicked. By the end of the first round, Siver took a defensive position. In the second round, McGregor immediately began to dominate his opponent, and in the second minute he knocked him down, after which he sat on top of him and began to strike with his elbows, and then with his left hand. The fight officially ended at 1:54 of the second round. The victory was counted via technical knockout and brought McGregor his third “Performance of the Night” award.
After the fight ended, McGregor jumped outside the cage and tried to get to Jose Aldo, who was looking at him and smiling, but security stopped him.
Fight for the title of interim featherweight champion:
On January 30, 2020, it was announced that McGregor would face Aldo. McGregor himself said that he expects this meeting to be scheduled for July 11, 2020, where the Featherweight Championship will be held as part of UFC 189, during International Fight Week. The fight was scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC, confident that the fight would exceed all expectations, invested a huge amount of money into advertising this fight. For promotional purposes, McGregor and Aldo were to undertake a 12-day tour of eight cities in five countries, which included Aldo's homeland, Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), USA (Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Boston, New York), Canada (Toronto), England (London) and McGregor's homeland, Ireland (Dublin). The tour began on March 20 in Rio de Janeiro and ended in Dublin on March 31. On June 23, Aldo's representatives suddenly announced that he had suffered a broken rib and would not be able to participate in the fight. Instead, Chad Mendes, a two-time NCAA wrestling medalist, entered the ring.
At the weigh-in, both McGregor and Mendes showed a weight limit of 145 pounds. A record number of spectators was also set - 11,500. Once again, many of McGregor's compatriots gathered in the United States to support him. Dana White said about a quarter of the tickets sold were purchased in Ireland and England. The official crowd count for the fight, 16,019, broke a record in Nevada, and the $7,200,000 raised was a record for an MMA event in the United States. McGregor's standard song, "The Foggy Dew", was performed live by Irish singer Sinead O'Connor.
McGregor vs Diaz fight poster
McGregor started the fight with a quick attack, using a roundhouse kick. For two minutes the fighters were on their feet and exchanged powerful blows. McGregor threw his signature crosses with his left, and Mendes threw a left hook and an overhand with his right hand. McGregor took advantage of his eight-inch height advantage by using a variety of taekwondo kicks. At 2:13 of the first round, Mendes knocked McGregor to the ground. After an elbow from Mendes, McGregor tried to escape the hold, and he succeeded. At 3:44, Mendes makes another successful tackle. He tried to use the guillotine technique, but McGregor successfully got out. In the final seconds, Mendes was repeatedly admonished by the referee for sticking his fingers into the cut McGregor had made above his eyebrow that Mendes had made to him a minute earlier.
In the first round, 53% of McGregor's punches were to the body, while 50% of Mendes' punches were to the head. Mendes also landed three good punches, one of which cut McGregor's eyebrow. Several MMA media groups, including Sheborg, Caged Insider, MMA Junkie and Bloody Elbow, scored the round 10-9 for Mendes.
In the second round, Mendes again managed to knock McGregor to the ground and began throwing elbows. McGregor complained to Herb Lin about the unfairness of this tactic, but he disagreed and allowed Mendes to continue. At 4:12, Mendes tried to put McGregor in a guillotine, but he managed to get up, after which McGregor began to keep his opponent at a distance. At 4:32, McGregor escaped another tackle attempt. Ten seconds before the end, he struck Mendes with a jab-cross, knocking him down, and began to finish off. At 4:57 the fight was stopped by the intervention of the referee.
After winning by technical knockout in the second round, McGregor became the winner of the UFC Featherweight Championship. Shortly after the fight was stopped, Mendes approached McGregor and he thanked him for agreeing to the fight, saying: “You were a legend in this fight.” Later, in an interview with Joey Rogan, McGregor admitted that he was very grateful to everyone who supported him. When asked about Aldo, he replied: “I think Aldo just ran away. I have more injuries than his broken rib, but I'm still here. He can run all he wants, but I swear his day will come.” After the fight, McGregor approached Mendes and they expressed mutual respect for each other. This victory increased McGregor's number of "Performance of the Night" awards to four.
Championship fight in the featherweight category:
On August 10, Dana White confirmed that UFC 194, which was originally scheduled to take place at AT&T Stadium in Texas, would take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. A day later, it was announced that Conor McGregor would face Jose Aldo on December 12 for the featherweight title.
Conference with Jose Aldo
At the UFC "Go Big" conference on September 4, 2020, McGregor expressed doubt that Aldo would show up for the fight. He addressed everyone from the 145-pound fighters to the 170-pound fighters, saying, “Be ready, everyone, because one of you will have to replace Aldo, who will run away again and not show up for the fight.” Also, shortly before the conference, McGregor announced his desire to move to the lightweight category. About this he said: “I'm going to take both belts. First I’ll take the featherweight category, and then I’ll move to the lightweight category and become a champion there too.”
Throughout the week of UFC 194, Dana White stated that McGregor's fight with Aldo would attract more attention than any other event in MMA history. “This fight will break all records and raise over $10 million.” At the weigh-in, which took place in front of more than 9,000 spectators, both McGregor and Aldo weighed in at 145 pounds. The match lived up to expectations and grossed $10 million, breaking the previous record at UFC 189. Also, with its 16,516 spectators, it broke the Nevada record for attendance.
When the men faced referee John McCarthy in the center of the octagon, Aldo refused to make eye contact with his opponent, breaking with his tradition. The opponents also did not touch gloves. As soon as the fight began, they both rushed to the center of the cage. McGregor started with a left cross that missed the target. Aldo responded with a left uppercut, but also missed. At 0:09 of the first round, Aldo used a feint right cross followed by a left hook, but McGregor retreated and countered with a left hook to Aldo's jaw, sending him to the canvas. After two additional blows from McGregor, John McCarthy stopped the fight. The fight lasted just 13 seconds, becoming the fastest title fight in UFC history. McGregor received the Performance of the Night award for the fifth time and became the undisputed UFC featherweight champion. In an interview with Joe Rogan after the fight, McGregor said: "Aldo is very strong and fast, but accuracy beats power and timing beats speed." At the end of the interview, McGregor grabbed the microphone from Rogan and shouted: “Ireland baby, we did it, yeah!”
2016:
After his decisive victory over Aldo, McGregor expressed his desire to move up to the lightweight division to become the first dual champion in the UFC. At the current lightweight championship, Rafael dos Anjos and Donald Cerrone fought against each other. Dos Anyom won by technical knockout at 1:06 of the first round. During the post-fight interview, he said: “McGregor is better off staying at featherweight. I'll beat him in Brazil. I'll go to Ireland and beat him there, it doesn't matter." On January 12, 2020, the UFC officially announced the fight between dos Anjos and McGregor to take place on March 5 at UFC 196 (then known as UFC 197) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, which will be the third McGregor's back-to-back headlining fight at this venue. On January 20, the UFC held a press conference with the participation of fighters from the upcoming tournament, including dos Anjos and McGregor. McGregor criticized his opponent, saying that he was “a free TV fighter who has nothing to offer me except his gold belt. He didn’t bring the company a penny.” McGregor also said that he is attracted to the idea of subsequently moving up to welterweight, as he feels that he can win three gold belts at once. His prediction for the upcoming fight with dos Anjos was the phrase: “I will drag him into the mud in one minute.”
Conor McGregor after another victory
On February 23, it was announced that dos Anjos would be unable to take part in the fight due to a broken leg. The replacement role was offered to various fighters across weight classes, including Jose Aldo, who pulled out due to "lack of time" to prepare for the fight, and former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, who also pulled out citing a groin injury. . Instead, their replacement was Nate Diaz, who had previously fought for the lightweight championship. Although the fight was originally supposed to be in the lightweight category, it was decided that the fighters would do it in the welterweight category so as not to force Diaz to cut a lot of weight in such a short time. On February 24, 2020, a press conference was held to promote the fight, at which the opponents exchanged insults. At the pre-fight press conference on March 3, McGregor and Diaz got into a small brawl. McGregor punched Diaz in the arm. At the weigh-in, Diaz showed 169 pounds (about 80 kg - approx. Per), and McGregor - 168 (same - approx. Per).
This fight was not entirely familiar to McGregor, since the opponent was taller than him and had longer arms. However, Diaz had virtually nothing to counter McGregor’s punches, especially the famous “Irish” cross. Throughout the first round, McGregor threw various punches and, despite a good deuce from Diaz, he missed more punches than he landed. By the end of the first round, McGregor managed to cut the eyebrow above Diaz's right eye, as a result of which blood began to pour into his opponent's face. McGregor almost managed to defeat his opponent, but the round ended. About 37% of the men's strikes reached their target. Many media covering MMA awarded McGregor the victory for this round with a score of 10-9.
The second round started with a right hook, trying to keep McGregor at bay. Despite this, McGregor managed to land a right hook at 0:37, after which he began to use various combinations until Diaz pushed him against the fence at 1:15. After a combination of uppercuts from Magregor at 1:48, Diaz began taunting his opponent and spitting in his direction. After this, the amount of mockery on both sides increased sharply. After several missed blows from McGregor, Diaz can hardly stand on his feet, but continues the fight with dignity. McGregor then tries to take him down by throwing himself at his feet, but Diaz rolls McGregor over. Diaz's first attempt at a choke was unsuccessful, but his second, after striking McGregor in the head, succeeded, forcing referee Herb Dean to intervene and giving Diaz the victory at 4:12.
The loss snapped his 15-fight winning streak and was his first since a defeat in November 2010. Both competitors received Fight of the Night awards. In a post-fight interview, McGregor said: “I felt like I had the upper hand in the first round, but I wasn’t using my energy efficiently. I respect Diaz, he took the fight on such short notice and did a good job.” McGregor also expressed his desire to take revenge, saying: “As a man and as a champion, I have to come back to try to win again. I never shy away from a challenge. One of these days I will come back here.”
Rematch with Diaz:
A rematch with Diaz was scheduled for July 9 at UFC 200, but on April 19, the UFC announced that McGregor had been pulled from the event because he failed to fulfill some of his obligations. The rematch was rescheduled for the following month, once again taking place at welterweight. McGregor won by majority decision (48-47, 47-47, 48-47). The fight again received the “Fight of the Night” award.
Champion in two categories:
On September 27, it was officially announced that McGregor's next fight would be against Eddie Alvarez for the Lightweight Championship. McGregor won by technical knockout and became the first in UFC history to take the title of champion in two weight categories at once.
Conor McGregor in Russia
On November 26, it was announced that McGregor had vacated the featherweight title due to his inactivity. But later it turned out that he was actually stripped of his title, which was later confirmed by his coach.
2017:
After winning the Lightweight Championship, McGregor announced that he would abstain from fighting for some time to await the birth of his child. The fighter also intends to campaign for a fight with Floyd Mayweather.
On June 14, 2020, after several months of negotiations, an agreement was reached for the fight between McGregor and Mayweather. The date was set for August 26th. Mayweather won in the 10th round by technical knockout. On November 10, McGregor appeared at Bellator 187, where he congratulated his SBG Ireland teammate Charlie Ward on his victory while the fight was not yet officially over, and also clashed with referee Mark Goddard, almost leading to a fight. As it turned out later, the clash with Tony Fergusson at UFC 219 was canceled precisely because of McGregor's unacceptable behavior at Bellator 187.
2018:
Deprivation of the title of champion in the lightweight category
After the end of the UFC 223 tournament, McGregor was stripped of the lightweight champion title, explaining this by his long inactivity. This happened on April 7th.
On August 3, it was officially announced that McGregor would again compete in the Octagon against Russian UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov. The reward in the fight will be the champion belt in the lightweight category. On September 20, 2020, McGregor signed a new contract with the UFC for 6 fights, the first of which will be the fight with Nurmagomedov, which will take place on October 6, 2020.
McGregor's fighting style
Conor McGregor is known for his offensive fighting style. He prefers to fight on his feet rather than on the ground. Conor is left-handed, so he often gets into the appropriate position. However, from time to time he chooses the traditional one. In his fights, he tries to dominate his opponent, constantly attacking him and rarely taking a wait-and-see attitude. Most of his victories were achieved by knockout or technical knockout. Most experts agree that his most dangerous blow is the left-handed one.
McGregor’s favorite technique is waging “mental war” with the enemy, which consists of “slinging mud,” constant ridicule and psychological pressure. Because of this, he began to be compared to Muhammad Ali, who McGregor said was one of his early inspirations. When Ali died in 2020, Conor said that “no one will ever come close to his (Ali’s) greatness.”
Battle of views with Nurmagomedov
Conor McGregor started boxing when he was 12 years old. He went to training at the Crumlin Boxing Club, where he trained under the guidance of Phil Sutcliffe. It was he who was able to lay the foundations of combat in the young fighter and help him create a style. Here Conor trained with fighters such as Dean Byrne and Jamie Kavanagh, who trained at the Wild Card Gym under the direction of Freddie Roach. Kavanagh later recalled McGregor as "a boxer who liked to play but could hit very hard." Although McGregor would later win the Irish Youth Championship, his attention gradually began to focus on other facets of the martial arts, gradually developing a style that did not fit into traditional boxing.
When his family moved to West Dublin, McGregor continued to box. He could often be seen sparring at the Celtic Warrior Gym in Blanchardstown, where Harry O'Sullivan and Frank Buglioni also trained. Head coach Packie Collins said: “He comes here and feels comfortable, even being opposite a champion.” He later added: “I won't name specific names, but the last time he was here, even very good boxers couldn't replicate what he does. He doesn't use a traditional stance and can do moves that no one else does."
McGregor vs Mayweather
As Conor rose through the ranks of the UFC, he repeatedly goaded Floyd Mayweather Jr., constantly insulting him in public and challenging him to fight. Although Floyd himself retired from the ring back in 2020, he also gradually began to support the idea of a fight with Conor. It didn’t hurt that Conor had never experienced professional boxing. At first, rumors about the upcoming fight were denied, since Conor McGregor did not have a boxing license and worked exclusively with the UFC, but later the California State Commission issued him this license, making the fight possible.
On March 7, Floyd Mayweather publicly announced that he was coming out of retirement to fight McGregor. He also called on Dana White and the UFC to come forward and allow this fight to happen. On March 16, 2017, Dana White finally changed his opposing stance and said that he simply could not deny Conor the opportunity to receive a big payday. On May 18, 2020, MacGregor officially agreed to fight Mayweather Jr. under UFC conditions.
The announcement of the upcoming fight was made on June 14, 2020. This caused extraordinary excitement, since Mayweather did not suffer a single defeat during his career, being an “invincible” fighter. The date of the fight was set for August 26, 2020. The T-Mobile Arena in the suburbs of Las Vegas, Nevada was chosen as the venue. The bout took place at welterweight with 8-ounce gloves.
On August 24, it was announced that the reward for the fight would be the WBC Money Belt. According to the Nevada commission, Mayweather was to receive a guaranteed reward of 100 million, and McGregor - 30 million US dollars.
Mayweather hits McGregor
Mayweather defeated McGregor in the 10th round by technical knockout, setting a record for the longest winning streak in a professional career - 50. The first round began with cautious tactics from Mayweather, who waited for the right moment to attack, parrying his opponent's blows. After the fight, he said that this was his plan: “I gave in to McGregor so that you all could see what you wanted.” McGregor won in the first round - the judges made this decision unanimously.
Throughout the fight, McGregor received several warnings for hitting him in the head, but he was not deducted points for this. The referee for the fight was Robert Byrd. By the fourth round, McGregor began to tire and breathe with his mouth open. From this point on, Mayweather moved into the next stage of the fight, taking control of the fight. Over the next few rounds, McGregor, although he made single attacks, still gave his opponent enough time to take active action.
By the 9th round, McGregor was very tired and practically stopped attacking his opponent. His face turned red, although he didn't look like he was going to collapse at all. Mayweather began to mock his opponent, playfully carrying out attacks. In the tenth round, McGregor began to miss punches, lowering his hands lower and lower. At the end of the first minute, Mayweather pinned him against the ropes and began to beat him, after which the referee stopped the fight, awarding the victory to Mayweather. The round stop time was 1 minute 5 seconds.
The scorecards after the stoppage showed: 89-91, 89-82, 87-83 - all in favor of Mayweather. Dana White, in turn, praised McGregor, saying this at the press conference after the fight. Of his 430 strikes, 111 hit the target (26%). According to this indicator, he overtook Manny Pacquiao, who also fought against Mayweather. Moreover, this is the best result among Floyd's last 9 opponents. As for Mayweather, he was much more accurate, hitting 170 out of 320 times (53%).
Mayweather said of the fight: “It was my last fight. I've chosen a great partner to dance with tonight. Conor McGregor, you are a hell of a champion." He then added: “It was a tough fight against tough competition. I think we were able to show the fans what they were dying to see. Today I have to go ahead and let them watch the show. And I did it."
Conor McGregor said the fight could have gone on and the referee stopped it too early, but said he respected the decision. He also admitted that he was very tired towards the end of the fight.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission said the fight's purse totaled $55,414,865.79. A total of 13,094 tickets were sold and 137 tickets were given away for free. The figures did not reach the level of the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight - then the fees amounted to more than 72 million US dollars, and the number of tickets sold was 16,219.
Personal life
McGregor has two sisters named Erin and Aofie. He has been in a relationship with Dee Devlin since 2008. On May 5, they welcomed their first child, whom they named Conor Jack McGregor Jr. McGregor understands Irish well enough and can speak it.
Erin and Aofie - McGregor's sisters
McGregor's training takes place mainly at the Mjölnir gym in Reykjavik, where Gunnar Nelson also trains. He states that he does not adhere to any rituals before a fight, and is also not superstitious: “This is all a form of fear.”
Immediately before the fight with Mayweather, McGregor announced a collaboration with the production of clothing from David August. The brand will be called August McGregor. Its leading direction will be modern men's suits. August met McGregor about three years ago thanks to UFC head Dana White.
On September 20, 2020, Congressman Marquin Mullin stated that McGregor had sent a request to the United States Congress for legal protection for MMA fighters. It is believed that McGregor wants to expand the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act to include mixed fights.
McGregor has deals with Beats by Dre, Monster Energy, Reebok and Bud Light. His endorsement is about $7 million. At the beginning of 2020, McGregor signed an agreement with Burger King.
Conflicts
Bellator 187 incident
On November 10, 2020, McGregor's SBG Ireland teammate Charlie Ward competed at Bellator 187 against John Redmond. This was his debut. Ward knocked Redmond down in the first round and McGregor happily jumped into the cage (he is not an official second) to congratulate Ward, but the fight was not yet officially over. He ran up to Ward, hugged him and tackled him to the ground. They immediately rushed to separate them, since Ward did not fully understand what was happening. Mark Goddard pushed Conor away, after which he tried to attack him and began to threaten him. Things almost came to a fight, but they managed to restrain Conor. The referee, meanwhile, needed to check Redmond's condition and help him stand up. Due to McGregor's antics, Redmond, who was trying to get up, was knocked back to the ground as his members were in close proximity to him during the incident, literally knocking him down.
A few minutes after Conor was removed from the cage, he climbed the fence, and when the commissioner tried to calm him down, he punched him in the face. After the fight, Redmond stated that Goddard wanted to continue the fight, but due to Conor's behavior it had to be stopped. This decision was made by the Mohegan Sun commission, which observed the fight.
The day after, Bellator 187 Commissioner Mike Mazzuli, president of the Mohegan Sports Management Department and the Association of Boxing Commissions, issued a statement saying McGregor's "conduct jeopardized the health and safety of the fighters who were in the cage during the Irish event." . In addition, Mr. McGregor assaulted Referee Mark Goddard and one of Bellator's employees."
Attack on Nurmagomedov's bus – UFC 233
On April 3, 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov quarreled with Artem Lobov, eventually slapping him in the face. Artem Lobov is a friend of Conor, but McGregor has already had verbal altercations with Khabib. Both sides have a long history of verbal confrontation.
On April 5, 2020, during the promotional campaign for UFC 223, McGregor and some friends (about 20 people) were at the Barclays center. There they came across Nurmagomedov's bus, which was carrying the Red Corner team, including Rose Namajunas, Al Yaquinta, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Ray Borg and Michael Chiesa. McGregor ran out behind the slowly moving bus and began throwing various objects at it, including a metal cart. He threw it at the bus window, breaking it. As a result of this, Chiesa and Borg were injured by glass fragments and sent to the hospital. They were also withdrawn from nearby battles. Lobov was also banned from participating, since he was one of the participants in the incident.
Photo from the scene
According to UFC President Dana White, an arrest warrant has been issued for McGregor. He also said that McGregor sent him a message that said: “I had to do this.” Dana White rejected suggestions that it was all part of the UFC's campaign to publicize the conflict between Conor and Khabib. After the incident, Conor and his friends fled from the center. A little later, the Irishman decided to voluntarily surrender to the police. He was charged with assault and his bail was set at $50,000 until June 14, 2020. His lawyer, Jim Walden, secured bail and permission to travel without restrictions. McGregor then hired lawyer Bruce Mafeo. As a result, McGregor was given 5 days of community service and an anger management course. On September 12, 2020, Chiesa filed a lawsuit against McGregor, saying that he suffered a lot of pain and negative emotions after Conor's attack.
McGregor vs Mayweather - fight of the century
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This fight is called by many the fight of the century. Even people who don't usually follow fights watched the fight with interest. This time, 29-year-old Konar challenged 40-year-old US boxer Floyd Mayweather. A duel between two representatives of different martial arts of this format took place for the first time in the history of the sport. Pictured are Conar McGregor and Floyd Mayweather.
Despite the fact that McGregor competes as an MMA fighter, he managed to withstand Mayweather for ten rounds. Konar lost. For participation in the fight, Mayweather received 100 million, McGregor was paid only thirty.
Career peak, UFC (Final Combat Championship)
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After Konar manages to get two championship titles in different weight categories at once, he is noticed by the UFC. After some deliberation, the championship management decides to sign a contract with him. During the first fight, Conar McGregor goes up against Marcus Brimage and knocks his opponent to the floor with a series of precise blows to the jaw. The referee stops the competition. Unconditional victory for Konar.
McGregor's next fight with Max Halloway ended with a knee injury for Conard, and he was forced to spend the next ten months out of the ring.
McGregor finished the fight at UFC FN 46 against Diego Brandan in the first round, leaving his opponent no chance.
The next time McGregor distinguished himself was during the fight with Dennis Siefer. Having quickly ended the fight in the second round by technical knockout, McGregor, noticing the current champion Jose Aldo among the spectators, climbed over the net and began aggressively shouting curses at Aldo.
Once again, Aldo and McGregor will only be able to meet as part of the UFC 194 tournament. But announced as very entertaining, the fight between longtime rivals ended within half a minute. During this time, McGregor was able to knock out his opponent. As a result, he received the long-awaited featherweight championship belt.
McGregor “took” the UFC lightweight championship belt from Eddie Alvarez in November 2020. Konar managed to knock out Alvarez. The matter was decided by three blows, after which Alvarez fell. The referee stopped the fight. Many sports analysts later said that Alvarez could have gotten up and continued the fight. But no one disputes Konar’s victory.
