The most important 4 years in UFC history:
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| Conor McGregor's 4 year UFC anniversary is one of the most important in MMA history: |
Stepping into the octagon for the first time, McGregor faced aggressive pressure fighter Marcus Brimage on his long awaited debut. Brimage and McGregor clashed heads at the UFC on Fuel: Mousasi V Latifi weigh ins, with McGregor marking the birth of his world known brass "truth" talking character. Crumlin born McGregor also did his talking when it mattered, constantly clipping the advancing Brimage with a looping left uppercut, a shot that subsequently stopped the fight early in the first round. A swift combination was followed by that recognisable post fight interview with Kenny Florian, when McGregor sprouted the memorable saying, "Dana, 60g's baby!" Much to the delight of Florian.
After a remarkable debut victory, English youngster Andy Ogle was next in line for McGregor, until an injury to the Newcastle native, forced him from the fight. Ogle's replacement, current Interim Featherweight champ Max Holloway stepped up to take on McGregor in Boston. Featuring on the Prelims of Shogun V Sonnen, in a three round bout. McGregor, utilised his superior boxing and Tae Kwon Do background to keep Holloway's offence at a bare minimum, and on the ground, dominated the Hawaii favourite. McGregor suffered his first real UFC setback despite that unanimous decision win, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and leaving McGregor unable to compete for a staggering 10 months.
McGregor was scheduled to return against experienced American Cole Miller in his hometown Dublin, but after citing an unfortunate thumb injury, Miller was replaced by Ultimate Fighter winner Diego Brandao for their O2 Arena clash. Again, the weigh ins were action packed with McGregor promising to take Brandao's "head clean off". The fiery crowd made Dublin feel like a lions den for Brazil's Brandao, and a spinning side kick from McGregor produced a huge cry of joy from the audience before two take down attempts from Diego, proved to be unsuccessful, as McGregor stuffed with ease. McGregor, such a prominent striker, implied his left cross to huge avail, eventually forcing Brandao to shell up as Leon Roberts stepped in to grant McGregor a hometown win. Another memorable catchphrase was produced from this contest, with McGregor promising, "we're not here to take part, we're here to take over".
McGregor was fast making a name for himself, not just as a wizard on the mic, but a feared 145lbs contender. Next in line for Conor was a shot against fellow boxer Dustin Poirier at UFC 178. McGregor was on top form for his media obligations with Poirier, referring to him as "pea head" and how "when you wake up after your head clatters off the canvas, you will know it's not all talk". McGregor wasn't finished with his mind games until after Herb Dean called both men to the middle, where McGregor issued Poirier to approach him instead of touching gloves. McGregor continued his wide array of kicks, opening with a lead hook kick, to which he refers to as a "baseball bat with a 9 iron on the end of it". Pressuring forward, McGregor tagged Poirier with a sweet left hook, just behind the ear of the Louisiana native, sending him to the mat, where he finished with strikes. McGregor promised to take out Chad Mendes if necessary, in order to face them champ José Aldo.
For McGregor's next trip to the octagon, he would headline UFC Fight Night Boston, against many people's undeserved contender Dennis Siver. The German was also in for McGregor's mind games, with the Irish favourite calling the 38 year-old a "gremlin" and highlighting his previous steroid use. Huge implications awaited McGregor, with organisation President Dana White telling how a win over Siver would grant McGregor a UFC Featherweight challenge against Aldo. McGregor expertly utilised his significant reach advantage, throwing punishing left crosses, leaping roundhouse kicks and side kicks, allowing Siver very little offence. Similar to previous opponent Brandao, Siver looked to utilise his Judo and BJJ backgrounds with take downs, but of his three attempted, zero proved to be any success. A dominant first round display was finished off brilliantly in the early stages of the second, with McGregor establishing mount and laying down damaging ground and pound, forcing Herb Dean to call the fight. McGregor then leaped atop the cage and confronted José Aldo at cageside, shouting "Eire" at the Brazilian who smiled and laughed.
UFC President Dana White announced that Aldo would defend his title against McGregor at UFC 189 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A world tour ensued with some of McGregor's best trash talking on show, referring to Aldo as his "son" before stealing the Brazilian's belt at a Press Conference in Dublin, much to the joy of the Irish fans. Two weeks out from the fight, news circulated that Aldo had suffered a rib injury, forcing him from the card, before Dana White told how McGregor would challenge Chad Mendes for the interim UFC Featherweight title in the main event of UFC 189. A monumental event took place, with Irish singer songwriter Sinead O' Connor singing McGregor out with his 'Foggy Dew' theme song in rendition. As Herb Dean began the fight, McGregor challenged Mendes with more mind games. "Let's see who takes the first step back", as Conor raced forward, landing a spinning back kick immediately. Mendes fought most of the first round with his back to the cage, with McGregor landing vicious teep kicks to the body and then some stinging left hands. Mendes a 2x Division I All American wrestler, finally got McGregor to the mat with a big double leg, and from full guard, smashed McGregor with slashing elbows for the majority of the round, producing a decent size cut over the right eye of 'The Notorious' one. The second round began in similar fashion for Mendes, once more taking McGregor down. Elbows from the bottom from Conor, was met with dispute from Mendes. The American then attempted a guillotine with McGregor executing the 'heartbreaker' slipping free. A tired Chad was then at Conor's mercy, who stuffed a takedown and then finished with that patented left hand with mere seconds left in the round. Emotion overcame McGregor as he claimed his first UFC title and told José Aldo to "come back" in anticipation for a unification bout.
Such a bout materialised for UFC 194, with Aldo and McGregor headlining the card. Aldo looked supremely confident at the events weigh ins, mocking McGregor's sideward stance, almost drawing a kick from the Irishman in the process. What happened in the fight left the MMA community the world over shell shocked. Just 13 seconds into the title bout, McGregor cracked a left hand onto the chin of an on rushing Aldo, rendering him unconscious. Referee 'Big' John McCarthy was quick on the scene after two hammer fists, as McGregor set a UFC record. "Precision beats power, and timing beats speed, and that's what you saw there" McGregor preached to an amazed Joe Rogan.
With the Featherweight division dually conquered, McGregor set his firm sights on capturing the Lightweight crown, owned by Rafael Dos Anjos, as he looked to reenact his Cage Warriors feat. At UFC 196, Brazil's Dos Anjos and Dublin's McGregor were set to lock horns, until a broken metatarsal forced RDA from the title defence. The rumour mill began to turn with Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone and Nate Diaz the most prominent names to spring to people's imagination. It was the latter that was awarded a bout with McGregor, a five round main event Welterweight contest. Both Diaz and McGregor had built their career off their trash talking, and the pre fight press conference impressed as expected. "He makes gun signs with his right hand, and animal balloons with the left hand", "he teaches a kids Jiu-Jitsu class on a Sunday" how that statement would could back to haunt Conor. When the main event rolled around, McGregor was landing huge shots for the majority of the round, but was notably seeking that big left uppercut. A brilliant sweep from Conor seen him wind up on top of Diaz, as the round closed. McGregor could be seen to be breathing quite heavily at the first round's interval, while Nate began the second in splendid fashion, tagging McGregor on multiple occasions, even lodging a 'Stockton' slap at one stage. On one of those certain occasions, Diaz cracked McGregor with a solid combo, rocking the Irish native, forcing him to shoot for a frail double leg. Diaz was then allowed to attempt a guillotine, before establishing mount, and laid down some big shots, which seen McGregor roll giving up his back. A superior grappler like Diaz doesn't need a second invitation, locking in a tight rear-naked choke, forcing the tap from McGregor. Nate had issued Conor his first UFC defeat and produced one of the most memorable moments afterwards. Upon Joe Rogan asking his feelings after he ''shook up the world'', Nate simply responded ''eh, I'm not surprised mother****ers''. McGregor, humble in victory or defeat, explained how Diaz was ''efficient'' while he was the complete opposite.
A huge lesson learned, McGregor vowed to put right the wrongs and rematch Nate. Originally scheduled to headline UFC 200, McGregor informed Dana White that he wouldn't be participating in any promotional obligations for the event, forcing head honcho White to pull the Featherweight champ from arguably the company's biggest ever card. McGregor even announced his retirement on Twitter, but the next day, told how he wasn't. The rematch between the pair was re booked for UFC 202, with McGregor eyeing redemption. A solid opening from Conor seen a large number of leg kicks impede the boxing style of Nate, before a knockdown handed McGregor the first round. More of the same in the second as Conor scored two quick knockdowns, before Nate recovered to pressure the Dublin star. Nate used a dirty boxing technique against the cage and in the clinch to score some valuable points. A recovery from McGregor in the fourth and fifth seen the judges award a majority decision win, but most important to him, redemption. Taking to the mic, McGregor exclaimed ''surprise, surprise mother****ers, the king is back''.
With his confidence back on track, Conor once more set eyes on the 155lbs title, held by RDA conqueror Eddie Alvarez. Many believed Dagestani Khabib Nurmagomedov was in line for a title challenge, despite this, McGregor was named alongside Alvarez to headline a three title card, at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden New York. Reminiscent of Joe Frazier, when he challenged Muhammad Ali, McGregor although late, sported a white Gucci mink coat and a red turtleneck, before stealing Alvarez's title from the table. The weigh ins were as big a spectacle as the bout, as thousands packed in to witness the monstrous event. After squaring off, the fans were treated to a meeting between Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey. Attempting to make history, McGregor strutted into the octagon oozing confidence, and began his masterclass with a quick knockdown in the first. The more the first continued, the more comfortable Conor looked. An on rushing Alvarez was again caught, before a cross, jab and cross combination had Alvarez on his backside for a second time. Looking to finish, McGregor pounced but Alvarez recovered. In the second, it was more of the same, with McGregor escaping the clinch to finish with a phenomenal combination, claiming the Lightweight crown in the process. Once more McGregor gave us something more that the fight to talk about, when he took to the mic to what seemed as apologise before unleashing a memorable line, ''from the bottom of my heart, I'd like to take this opputunity, to apologise, to absolutely nobody''. McGregor announced that himself and long term partner Dee Devlin, were expecting the birth of their first child in early 2017, later confirmed to be a boy.
With 2017 still fresh, huge things lie ahead for McGregor, in the form of a boxing bout between himself and Floyd Mayweather Jr. rumoured to occur sometime in September, with the backing of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Big money fights also await Conor in his UFC return, in the form of a trilogy bout with Nate Diaz, a Welterweight showdown with the returning Georges St-Pierre, or even a rematch against the winner of UFC 212's main event between Jose Aldo and Max Holloway.
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