5 Irish fighters who could emulate Conor McGregor's success in the UFC

#4. James Gallagher - Bellator bantamweight

There was a considerable period of time when James Gallagher was considered by many to be on a fast track to the UFC. The Irish bantamweight was even being dubbed 'the new Conor McGregor.'

'The Strabanimal' trains out of the same gym as McGregor and can also sell a fight off his trash talk alone. Gallagher currently competes for Bellator MMA and holds a pro-MMA record of 11-1.

Unfortunately, Gallagher lost some of the hype surrounding him after coming up short against Ricky Bandejas. Gallagher promoted the fight in the typical McGregor style. He got in Bandejas' face during the weigh-ins, as well as ruthlessly trash-talking him in the pre-fight exchanges..

However, when the fight came around, Bandejas knocked Gallagher out in the first round. But since then, 'The Strabanimal' has bounced back with three consecutive wins.

It is not often that the UFC signs fighters from Bellator. But should Gallagher defeat his upcoming opponent Patchy Mix in impressive fashion, he may well draw the eyes of Dana White, Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard.

Gallagher certainly has the skills to be competitive in the UFC, and there has never been a better time than now to inject some new Irish talent into the organization.

---

#3. Dean Barry - UFC welterweight

Dean Barry is an Irish kickboxer turned mixed martial artist who has already signed for the UFC. Unfortunately, visa issues and the pandemic have kept him from making his debut. He has had two fights against Mike Jackson fall through so far but is hoping to make his promotional debut in the coming months.

With only 2 swings Dean Barry KOs Abdulla Al Bousheiri! #uaewarriors13 #MMA #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/NDbtko6Fm2

— MMA TV (@MMATVlive) September 28, 2020

Barry currently holds an MMA record of 3-1. All three of his wins have come by way of first-round knockouts, giving just some indication of how lethal he is in the striking department. His nickname, 'The Sniper,' is very fitting, and with luck, UFC fans will see him taking shots at the opposition in the near future.

Dean Barry (@Deanbarry123) became Ireland's most recent UFC signing last week with just a 3-1 record in MMA. 🎙️I asked Dean how he would respond to those questioning whether he's ready for the UFC. Here's his response:🎥Full interview for @SevereMMA ⤵️https://t.co/FErl95ciIR pic.twitter.com/UEuj7TmuTj

— Andy Stevenson (@andyste123) December 2, 2020