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Conor McGregor has had a storied MMA career, having experienced the most memorable moments under the UFC banner. In fact, the Irishman has authored countless unforgettable moments in the sport as the UFC's first-ever simultaneous two-division champion.
As is often the case, however, with nearly every fighter to have ever made the walk to the octagon, McGregor's journey has not been one of pure success. He's been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Of those lows are his four losses inside the octagon.
While some were easier to brush off, others were damaging and had an impact on the Irishman's career that proved permanent. So as 'The Notorious' gears up for his long-awaited octagon return at UFC 303, he will hope that his upcoming bout with Michael Chandler will be anything but a repeat of his recent history.
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz, UFC 196
By far the least damaging of Conor McGregor's losses, in retrospect, was his first bout with Nate Diaz. The Stockton star stepped in on short notice to replace an injured Rafael dos Anjos, who 'The Notorious' was originally slated to face for the former's then-UFC lightweight title.
In a stunning turn of events, McGregor suffered the first UFC loss of his career after gassing out within a round against an unprepared foe. He then got rocked on the feet, which prompted him to shoot for an ill-advised takedown that was stuffed. From there, Diaz sliced through his defense on the mat and choked him out.
Initially, the loss was regarded as embarrassing. McGregor had spent the leadup to the bout claiming that his striking turned his opponents into wrestlers, only for him to shoot for a takedown in a moment of desperation, which sparked widespread mockery.
Fortunately, the loss had little, if any, negative impact on McGregor's career. It birthed one of the sport's most popular rivalries, turned Diaz into a superstar, and gave McGregor a high-profile rematch, which he won, before going on to capture lightweight gold from newly minted champion, Eddie Alvarez.
Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC 229
Before his fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor was still unofficially recognized as the UFC lightweight champion. The casual fanbase had yet to buy into 'The Eagle' as the 155-pound kingpin due to his questionable competition and the fact that he had won the vacant title against an overachiever in Al Iaquinta.
McGregor, meanwhile, had never been beaten for the title. Backed up by rage over an incident involving Nurmagomedov and one of the Irishman's then-closest friends, 'The Notorious' stepped into UFC 229 with a point to prove. However, the bout couldn't have gone any worse for him than it did.
Not only did Nurmagomedov dominate him, but McGregor was also knocked down for the first time in his career, en route to being outwrestled for four rounds, before a neck crank mercifully ended his night. It was a crushing loss, as damaging as it had initially seemed.
Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov's win over Conor McGregor:
Nurmagomedov went on to carve out a legacy as an all-time great lightweight, against whom everyone was dominated. So by comparison, the Irishman didn't look nearly as bad as initially thought, least of all with his built-in excuse of having broken his foot ahead of the bout.
Fans bought into it, and the most ardent of McGregor's supporters were adamant that a rematch would go differently. But a rematch would never take place.
Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 2, UFC 257
One of the worst losses Conor McGregor has ever been handed was his TKO loss in a rematch with Dustin Poirier. 'The Diamond' was selected as a mere stepping stone on the Irishman's journey to either a possible title rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov or a blockbuster boxing match with Manny Pacquiao.
He had already beaten Poirier back in his featherweight days, by knockout no less, so the promotion had no reason to think that there wouldn't be a repeat of the result. Instead, Poirier exposed the vulnerabilities in McGregor's fighting style. First, there were his calf kicks.
McGregor stands wide, with the back of his lead leg exposed. Against orthodox fighters, he is safe with his lead foot aligning with theirs. Most fighters don't throw lead-low kicks. But against a fellow southpaw, the back of McGregor's lead leg is aligned with his foe's rear power-leg.
In short, McGregor's calf was begging to be kicked by Poirier. Second, Poirier made McGregor pay for his tendency to lead with his chin, as the Irishman often leans his entire upper body so far forward that his shoulders are parallel with his lead knee, which saw him run chin-first into Poirier's check hook.
Check out Dustin Poirier TKO'ing Conor McGregor:
While there was more than 'The Diamond,' which warrants its own analysis, it led to a two-round counterpunching masterclass on his part. By round two, McGregor had a dead leg and imploded when forced to fight on the retreat. He was TKO'd for the first time in MMA, and many wondered if he was now on the decline.
McGregor had never been outstruck before. All of his prior losses could be explained away by something else, whether cardio or wrestling. For him to be outstruck by someone he had beaten in the past, caused many to reevaluate his standing against the lightweight elite.
Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 3, UFC 264
The most damaging defeat Conor McGregor has ever suffered is his most recent. When he faced Dustin Poirier in their first-ever rematch at UFC 257, it was clear that 'The Diamond' spent the first few minutes hesitant to engage, as though he wondered if the McGregor of old would snipe him again.
Once he trusted in his game plan and evolution as a fighter, he slowly took over. At UFC 264, there was no such hesitation. Poirier had figured McGregor out in their prior bout, and it was clear from the onset. Within two minutes, Poirier stunned McGregor with a combination, causing the Irishman to clinch with him.
From there, McGregor attempted a guillotine choke, which 'The Diamond' immediately worked his way out of. Once on top, Poirier spent nearly every remaining second of round one landing ground-and-pound, busting McGregor's ear. As round one drew to a close, both men worked their way back to their feet.
From there, McGregor threw a front kick, before his lower shin snapped in half when he stepped back. He lost via TKO, after having virtually nothing for Poirier throughout the entire fight. Worse still, he suffered one of the most gruesome injuries in MMA, which could mean he will never be the same again.
Check out Dustin Poirier's trilogy with Conor McGregor:
To add insult to injury, McGregor, who had promised to leave Poirier on a stretcher, himself left the arena on a stretcher. The loss sidelined the Irishman for so long that he is no longer even ranked, and at 36, will likely never reach the heights of his prime again.
