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Conor McGregor might be at a crossroads regarding his career, having secured only one victory since 2017. However, McGregor is undoubtedly the biggest superstar to have graced the octagon and the Irishman has changed the fight game for good.
Conor McGregor made his professional debut in 2008 at lightweight, scoring a second-round TKO over Gary Morris. While McGregor briefly contemplated a career change after his next few bouts, his mother introduced him to his coach, John Kavanagh, reinvigorating Conor's interest in MMA.
Between 2011-12, Conor McGregor went on an eight-fight winning streak during which he won both the CWFC featherweight and lightweight championships. Already a renowned figure in the Irish MMA scene, 'The Notorious' was offered a UFC contract by Dana White when he visited Ireland in February 2013.
After scoring a first-round TKO victory over Marcus Brimage in his UFC debut, Conor McGregor has become synonymous with barnburners and highlight-reel knockouts. While the Irishman may be lambasted for his arrogant and luxurious lifestyle, it has also earned him a huge following. In more ways than one, Conor McGregor has had a pivotal role in the UFC scaling the heights that it has.
With days to go until his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier, let's look at five reasons Conor McGregor is the biggest reason behind the UFC going mainstream:
#5 Conor McGregor started the champ-champ trend
While there could possibly have been several multi-division champs in the UFC, Conor McGregor was the trendsetter.
Conor McGregor earned the UFC featherweight strap after famously shutting the lights on Jose Aldo with a single punch at UFC 194. Less than a year later, McGregor moved up to lightweight in a bid to become the first two-division champion in UFC history. Conor McGregor was crowned the new UFC lightweight champion after a dominant second-round finish over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.
Although several fighters have followed in his footsteps, Conor McGregor remains the first fighter to have achieved it. While he was already a fan favorite, Conor McGregor almost gained a cult following after becoming a simultaneous two-division UFC champion.
#4 Conor McGregor shattered the live record at Madison Square Garden
While he didn't do it himself, Conor McGregor was undoubtedly the major reason for UFC 205 breaking the live gate record at Madison Square Garden. While the total attendance for the event was 20,247, the live gate reached a whopping $17,700,000, which sets the average ticket price for UFC 205 at $867.
The previous MSG live gate record was held by the controversial first bout between Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis. Meanwhile, the previous UFC live gate record was held by UFC 129, headlined by Georges St-Pierre vs Jake Shields in Toronto.
Nov. 12, 2016, was a historic night at Madison Square Garden as UFC 205 marked the promotion's first event in New York City following a lengthy MMA ban. While it was the first-ever UFC event to be held at MSG, the promotion certainly wouldn't have expected those numbers without Conor McGregor involved.
#3 Conor McGregor's net worth
Conor McGregor topped the list of Forbes Top 10 highest-paid athletes of 2020, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. According to Forbes, the Irishman made $158 million from his ventures outside of the octagon over the last twelve months. This also made him only the third athlete, after Roger Federer and Tiger Woods, to earn more than $70 million off the field in a single year while still actively competing.
While McGregor may be considered grossly overpaid compared to his MMA counterparts, it has certainly added to his status as a celebrity athlete. Due to his status, McGregor also fought legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather in 2017. The bout generated the second-highest pay-per-view sales in combat sports history.
While people might be unfamiliar with erstwhile UFC champions, there is no way one can miss a fighter with an estimated net worth of $300 million. Despite having amassed a fortune, Conor McGregor is a true martial artist looking to cement his legacy inside the octagon.
#2 Conor McGregor is a charismatic trash talker
One of the major reasons for the overwhelming crowds present at Conor McGregor's fights is the Irishman's legendary trash talk. While the world of combat sports is not new to trash talkers, there has never been someone more natural than Conor McGregor.
UFC events featuring 'Notorious' always generate hype, especially because of how the Irishman promotes his fights.
From making the crowd chant "F**k the Mayweathers" to apologizing to "absolutely nobody," Conor McGregor has redefined the art of trash-talking forever.
What sets Conor McGregor apart from other trash talkers in the UFC is an element of wit and humor. Instead of just saying mean things, McGregor incites laughter in the audience with jokes and retorts, all at the expense of his rival.
Apart from earning fans, Conor McGregor also uses his trash talk as a vital part of his mental arsenal against opponents. One outstanding example of McGregor getting into his opponent's head was the one-punch knockout of Jose Aldo at UFC 194.
Also watch: When Conor McGregor silenced Khabib Nurmagomedov with spectacular KO of Jose Aldo at UFC 194
#1 Conor McGregor and UFC pay-per-view records
Seemingly the biggest pay-per-view earner for the UFC, Conor McGregor has had an enormous role to play in the promotion going mainstream. Apart from being involved in all the top five UFC PPV buys, McGregor also features in seven of the top 10 UFC PPV events in history, outlining his global appeal.
Conor McGregor's title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 remains the most lucrative fight in MMA history, having clocked 2.4 million pay-per-view buys. His most recent loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 was the second-most bought UFC pay-per-view in history. According to reports, UFC 257 did 1.6 million buys globally, with 1.2 million buys on ESPN+ in the USA alone.
While Conor McGregor might be the highest-paid fighter in history, he also brings in the requisite revenue.
