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The heated rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov reached a boiling point at UFC 229, where both men crossed swords. Despite the Irishman's best efforts, he was handed the most one-sided loss of his career, conceding a knockdown and getting outwrestled en route to a submission loss.
Since then, 'The Notorious' has undergone a stark change in various ways, including the perception that fans have of him. While he remains the sport's biggest star, it is no longer 2018. Much has changed, including the Irishman. But what exactly is different?
How has McGregor changed, for better or worse, since his crushing loss to his most hated rival?
#5. Conor McGregor's fighting style is more boxing-centric
There was a time when Conor McGregor was known for his dynamic kicks. Specifically, his spinning back kick and front kick were among his most recognizable weapons besides his straight left. However, after his bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov, that seems to have changed.
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Check out how Conor McGregor's stance changed through the years:
When he and Nurmagomedov clashed, McGregor opened the bout with kicks, but following his loss, the former UFC champion has deviated massively from that approach. In his 40-second knockout over Donald Cerrone, 'The Notorious' operated mostly as a boxer until landing a head kick on 'Cowboy.'
Despite the kick rocking his foe, McGregor kicked far less frequently in that fight than he ever had before. This was also noticeable in his first rematch with Dustin Poirier, who he hardly kicked. While his kicks returned in their trilogy bout, it seemed more like a desperate attempt to recapture the magic of old.
#4. Conor McGregor's trash talk has changed
In the past, Conor McGregor's trash talk was witty and cold-blooded. Upon facing Khabib Nurmagomedov, though, that all changed. The Irishman was enraged and deeply personal with his insults.
Before UFC 229, he never veered into personal territory with his trash talk, often focusing on flaws he perceived in his opponent's fighting styles and other more lighthearted shortcomings. After Nurmagomedov, he became more personal and enraged. For a while though, he didn't trash talk at all.
His fight against Donald Cerrone and first rematch with Dustin Poirier were both unusual for the distinct lack of trash talk in the buildup. That, however, changed ahead of his trilogy fight with Poirier. But even now, McGregor has claimed he won't trash-talk Michael Chandler ahead of UFC 303.
#3. Conor McGregor is no longer regarded highly
While many have taken issue with how Conor McGregor conducts himself, no one could dispute his status as an elite fighter. Sadly, for the Irishman, this is no longer the case. He is 1-3 in his last four fights and hasn't won a fight in four years. Before facing Khabib Nurmagomedov, he was still thought of highly.
He was the champion who hadn't lost his belt in the octagon. Now, though, he is someone who isn't even thought of as a top contender. McGregor is unranked, about to turn 36 in July, and returning from one of the most gruesome injuries in the sport.
An older, inactive McGregor coming off a career-changing injury and heavy partying is not the same as the younger, more dedicated martial artist who hyper-focused so much on his craft that he studied the movement of animals and hired flexibility and movement coach, Ido Portal.
#2. Conor McGregor has become far more active on X
Nowadays, fans expect Conor McGregor to do most of his talking (and fighting) on X. After every UFC pay-per-view, 'The Notorious' has something to say about anyone who has had a notable performance. At times, he speaks ill of the object of his attention.
Even when he compliments another fighter, it is typically backhanded. In other instances, he uses X as a platform for unhinged tirades that are often deleted sometime after he's posted them. This line of behavior does not resemble his mannerisms before his clash with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
At the time, he didn't use X as much as he does now. He's always been vocal, but hurling insults from the sidelines and deleting his tweets is new, and has earned him the mockery of the MMA fanbase.
#1. Conor McGregor has grown as a businessman
Conor McGregor's bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov coincided with the launch of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, for which he was congratulated by a media member at the first pre-fight press conference. However, since then, McGregor has expanded his business ventures to a massive degree.
He now owns a pub in Dublin called the Black Forge Inn, which has become something of a celebrity hotspot, with the likes of Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube having been spotted there. Furthermore, he has also launched a pain relief spray, as well as the McGregor Fast training system.
Check out Conor McGregor signing his BKFC papers:
Additionally, he has added Forged Irish Stout to his alcohol-related businesses. Most notably in recent days, he now owns a minority stake in BKFC, the world's premier bare-knuckle boxing promotion.
