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Conor McGregor is arguably the most famous name in MMA history, and the biggest reason behind his rise to superstardom has been his trash-talk.
McGregor has never been one to shy away from verbal confrontation. He has always attempted to foretell the outcome of his fights in press conferences, and has even earned the moniker 'Mystic Mac' for being eerily accurate with his predictions.
'Mystic Mac' was spot-on ahead of his UFC fight against Diego Brandao and his featherweight title shot against Jose Aldo, but we've seen a few calls age poorly.
Here are 5 times Conor McGregor got his fight predictions woefully wrong.
#5 Conor McGregor vs Floyd Mayweather (2017)
Around a year after knocking out Eddie Alvarez to become the first simultaneous champ-champ in UFC history, Conor McGregor transitioned to the world of boxing for a bout against the legendary Floyd Mayweather. The fight broke a number of PPV and monetary records, with McGregor at his snarky best in the pre-fight media tour.
Prior to the bout, UFC president Dana White stated that McGregor had claimed he'd knock Mayweather out within four rounds. But while the Irishman's boxing is among the best in the UFC, few thought he'd be able to hand Mayweather the first loss of his professional career.
The bookies were proved right, although Conor McGregor certainly exceeded expectations. Mayweather played it smart to sustain an early onslaught from McGregor, who faded rapidly as the fight wore on before being finished in the 10th round.
Mayweather moved to 50-0 with the win as both fighters gobbled up hefty paychecks.
#4 Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz 2 (2016)
After losing his first bout against Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor was handed an immediate rematch. The press conferences in the lead-up to the rematch were much more organized than the first fight, which was put together on short notice.
It didn't come as a surprise to anyone that McGregor didn't mince his words. He predicted a second-round knockout of Diaz, who brushed off any such suggestions in his typical indifferent fashion. And while McGregor knocked the Stockton native down twice in the second round, the fight went the distance thanks to Diaz's iron chin and persistence.
Conor McGregor recovered admirably in the latter stages of the fight after appearing to be completely gassed, and achieved a UD win that was closer than the scorecards suggested. He did get his prediction rather badly wrong, but managed to set up a trilogy which we're likely to see in the future.
#3 Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier (2021)
The COVID-19 pandemic had a number of ramifications, one of which was keeping Conor McGregor out of the Octagon for around a year after his welterweight bout against Donald Cerrone at UFC 246.
He finally returned, at lightweight, against Dustin Poirier at UFC 257. Having dispatched 'The Diamond' with ease back in 2014 and looking "motivated" in the lead-up to the fight, McGregor was the odds-on favorite. And although he was uncharacteristically humble and respectful, he did say he'd knock Poirier out inside 60 seconds before claiming he wouldn't mind spending some time in the cage.
However, what followed was a massive shock. Heavy on his lead leg and over-reliant on his left hand, Conor McGregor suffered the first knockout loss of his MMA career after having his mobility severely compromised by calf kicks.
The trilogy between McGregor and Poirier, which has been booked for UFC 264 on July 10, promises to be a fascinating clash.
#2 Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz 1 (2016)
An event that was initially expected to be headlined by a lightweight title fight between champion Rafael dos Anjos and Conor McGregor, UFC 196 saw Nate Diaz step in for the former and take on 'The Notorious' at welterweight on 10 days' notice.
Although McGregor was moving up two weight classes, he was expected to cruise past Diaz. After all, he was on a 15-fight win streak that had culminated in his 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo, and was up against an opponent who had lost three of his last five fights.
Understandably, Conor McGregor was supremely confident ahead of the fight, claiming that he'll put Diaz away in the first round. But he and his fans were in for a rude awakening.
Diaz withstood an early assault from McGregor, whose conditioning at welterweight wasn't as good as everyone expected it to be. After being caught a couple of times by the resilient Diaz, McGregor made the imprudent decision to shoot for a takedown and was tapped out via a rear-naked choke.
#1 Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov (2018)
UFC 229, which remains the highest-selling PPV in the promotion, saw Khabib Nurmagomedov embark on his first defence of the lightweight title against Conor McGregor.
The lead-up to the fight, which was marred by a number of disciplinary incidents, was far from pretty. Both fighters traded a number of below-the-belt blows, setting up the stage for one of the - if not the - most high-profile events in MMA history. Of course, McGregor predicted a first-round knockout - although he did claim that he was prepared to go the distance.
We all know what followed. Khabib enjoyed perhaps the best performance of his career, taking McGregor down with ease and controlling him on the mat effortlessly. And although 'The Eagle' lost the first round of his career, he even dropped the 32-year-old with an overhand right.
Eventually, Khabib's relentless pressure was too much for McGregor, who was forced to tap when the lightweight champion locked in a neck crank. The less said about what transpired in the immediate aftermath of the fight, the better.
