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Conor McGregor's antics inside and outside the octagon often make him come across as a very polarizing figure. However, there is another side to the Irishman not known to many people. It is the opposite of the persona that he has built in the promotion.
Say what you want about him, Conor McGregor has repeatedly come to the aid of society in times of dire need, showing that he truly cares. He has been involved in multiple controversies outside the cage but 'The Notorious One' has also made various donations to charities and people in need over the last few years.
Conor McGregor is the biggest star in the UFC and has made an astronomical amount of money in his career. His boxing match with Floyd Mayweather alone earned the Irishman a $100 million payday. While McGregor surely knows how to splash the cash, he also uses it to help people and organizations in need.
Let's look at five instances when Conor McGregor stepped up to help those in need:
1) When Conor McGregor saved his beloved Straight Blast Gym (SBG) in County Laois
In 2020, McGregor stepped in to save an SBG branch in Ireland from shutting shop. SBG Portarlington in County Laois was staring at doom as financial problems during the lockdown brought on by COVID-19 almost forced them to shut down completely.
When McGregor found out about the situation, he called his former training partner and the owner of the SBG Portarlington branch, Philip Mulpeter. The Irishman assured Philip that he would send monetary-aid to keep the gym from closing and later delivered on his promise.
“I was like nearly crying [when McGregor called]," Mulpeter told ESPN. "I didn't know what to say to him, to be honest. I'm forever grateful to him. He basically saved our little community. Words can't express what he's done for us. I know that he gets bad press. People don't report on it, but he does this stuff all the time. Conor is not looking for gratitude, he's not looking for the media to spread this around.”
2) When The Notorious One built houses for the homeless in Dublin
In 2019, Conor McGregor won the hearts of fans across the world by building eight houses for the homeless in his hometown of Dublin. The Irishman took to Instagram to share his joy and 'pride' of being able to give something back to the people of Ireland, whose love and support made him as popular as he is.
“Back on the site today, it has been a while. This is my first property development. We have 8 homes here closing in on finish. 3 bedroom houses, designated for families that currently reside in hotels around the capital, without a home to call their own. But not for long. Through the storm comes the sun!"
“Walking around this land and these homes today, meeting all the neighbours, knowing that soon there will be families living here, creating their own memories, and building back their lives, gives me great pride! Ireland forever! Ireland first! Ireland always!”
3) When McGregor donated PPE kits worth over $1 million to healthcare workers in Ireland
In May last year, with the world struggling to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, Conor McGregor stepped up to help out first-responders and healthcare workers in Ireland. He personally delivered PPE kits worth over $1 million to healthcare workers in several Irish hospitals.
McGregor further took his hat off to doctors, nurses, first-responders and other essential medical personnel in Ireland for their valiant efforts to save lives during the pandemic.
4) When the Irishman saved his boyhood soccer club Lourdes FC
Conor McGregor has time and again shown that he never forgets his roots. In 2020, the Irishman invested a lot of money in his boyhood soccer club Lourdes FC. He donated funds to get the repair work done in the clubhouse.
McGregor Sports and Entertainment Ltd., a firm owned by the former two-division UFC champion, also sponsored the club's brand new kits. McGregor himself apparently oversaw the development of the team’s training facilities in Dublin.
5) Conor McGregor's $500K donation to Dustin Poirier's charity
When Conor McGregor proposed an exhibition sparring bout with Dustin Poirier last year, the Irishman had promised to donate $500K to Poirier's Good Fight Foundation charity. While the exhibition fight never happened as the UFC arranged for the pair to run it back inside the octagon at UFC 257, the Irishman went ahead and kept his promise.
Even though he got violently knocked out by Poirier in their rematch, Conor McGregor was gracious enough to initiate the process of donating $500K to Poirier.
The donation by McGregor will help underprivileged communities in Louisiana get access to daily meals and health care. It will also help the cause of building a gym for underprivileged youth to train in combat sports.
