McGregor Mania: Top 5 Conor McGregor Fights

McGregor mania has spread like wildfire and the Irishman has built a global brand to cement his empire — all the while monopolising the UFC fight scene. Conor moulded the sport into the environment that captivated his own needs, he inevitably became a superstar. Possessing an explosive persona, a pioneering fight promotion team and a superlative performance inside the octagon, the “Notorious” has achieved unprecedented glories. Let’s look at the Irishman’s top- 5 fights since his inauguration into the UFC.

#5Money Talks: McGregor vs Mayweather 

Mayweather vs McGregor was a fight born from parody. The fight was diluted with money all-the-while appearing cloaked in professionalism.  McGregor transcended from UFC and jumped over the ropes into boxing, it was a spectacle the world was to witness and both fighters sold it to perfection.For the UFC it opened a wide lucrative door to a new audience and they had their prize pony to showcase the sport.

Conor’s mouth motored pre-match and the Irishman proved to be a better poster boy than boxing would have thought, as the pay-per-view revenue soared to $500 million. The surprise came in the form of McGregor’s fight style, as the Irishman displayed an impressive reluctance to be put to the canvas and fought valiantly against a seasoned Mayweather.

Mayweather Jr picked Conor apart in the later rounds until “Notorious” eventually succumbed to a TKO in the tenth round. Mayweather did little offensively the first four rounds, as McGregor peppered the American with a flurry of clean jabs and some dubious mixed martial arts. Money Mayweather reverted to the master tactician that he is and found his gear before sending McGregor home. Mayweather recorded his 50th win while McGregor was left to accept a moral triumph, knowing that MMA awaited his plutocratic return. 

#4 Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz 1 

Nate Diaz shocked the world when he weathered the McGregor onslaught at UFC 196 and ultimately walked out victorious. While Diaz swallowed some ofConor’s biggest shots, he traversed around the Dubliner and submitted the featherweight champion by rear naked choke at the end of the second round.

Diaz had dethroned the Irish king and UFC 196 had been a huge success, ushering in a new record MMA audience. McGregor’s pace was his undoing in the end, as he worked through the gears in the first round to keep Diaz at bay. Notorious’ velocity came back to haunt him, succumbing to rear naked choke hold.McGregor had been toppled and the mantle where he once stood tall and proud was replaced with anegotistical Nate Diaz.

#3 Conor McGregor vs Donald Cerrone

Conor McGregor answered his critics with a sensational 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone — brushing aside the veteran gunslinger in an explosive come-back fight. In his eagerly anticipated return to the eight walls of death since his loss against Khabib in 2018, a gap which was filled outside the cage with a bagful of personal issues — the Irishman’s return came in the form of a bang.

McGregor made sure he madea statement after a three-year winless period and dispatching the ‘Cowboy’ in such a straightforward manner was the jewel that would fit nicely in his UFC crown. After the fallen giant bathed in victory at UFC 246,  a queue seemed to form swiftly with opponents that wanted a shot at the Irishman.

This fight was McGregor’s last chance at redemption and if the Dubliner would fall at the hands of Cerrone then it would be hard to see where the next fight would come. 

Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz 2

For five months, McGregor was forced to wallow in the misery that he was submitted by Nate Diaz at UFC 196. Diaz, who stepped in just ten days prior to the bout for an injured Rafael dos Anjos, had little time to prepare but ultimately submitted the Irishman to claim the featherweight championship. McGregor lost and beating Diaz in a rematch was the only thing that would satiate his thirst for vengeance.

UFC 202 on August 20 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, McGregor finally got his chance to seek revenge against Diaz. McGregor learned from his past mistakes, as he came out of his corner exercising caution rather than his trademark explosive start. “The Notorious” landed a flurry of punishing leg kicks and knocked down Diaz twice, as he took the fight by the scuff of the neck.

Five sensational rounds flew by as both warriors traded leather, returning each round to their corner bloodied and bruised. It was Conor McGregor who claimed the majority decision in his rubber match against Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC 202. Instant calls for a trilogy fight preceded as Diaz made it clear that he wanted the third and final instalment.

Conor McGregor vs Jose Aldo

Conor McGregor informed Jose Aldo what would happen if the Brazilian went toe-to-toe with him in the octagon. But even the Dubliner didn’t foresee that Aldo, undefeated at the time in 18 bouts going back to 2005, would be knocked out in 13 seconds.

That’s precisely what happened on December 12th, 2015, inside a rabid MGM Grand Garden Arena, where a swathe of McGregor’s fanatical countrymen gathered to watch a result the majority grew convinced, mostly through the Irishman’s demeanour and words, was inevitable. Even a UFC parlay calculator  wouldn’t predict such pandemonium. 

But even the most devout fans could not have envisioned McGregor smoothly parrying a righthand from the then undefeated Brazilian, then coming across with an immaculately timed left that distorted Aldo’s jaw and flung him unconscious to the canvas.

This is Conor’s most McGregor moment yet. The Dubliner has had some colossal results, shocks and drama throughout his career and the UFC franchise is sure to be treated to many more in the time to come. 

Author Bio: Jessica Grant is a Outreach Specialist at Backlinksmedia. She is expert on link building.