Conor McGregor 'losing focus' ahead of UFC 229 teaches NASCAR star Corey LaJoie an important lesson

Conor McGregor, the former UFC two-division champion, takes center stage in the enthralling Netflix documentary series, 'McGregor Forever', which was released on 17 May 2023. The documentary gives viewers a rare glimpse inside McGregor's incredible life and career, as well as a fresh perspective on his heated rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov.

McGregor's success in the UFC has inspired not only legions of fans around the world, but it also resonates with athletes from different sports. NASCAR star Corey LaJoie recently disclosed how 'McGregor Forever' taught him a valuable lesson prior to the World Wide Technology Raceway.

The documentary series chronicles McGregor's meteoric rise to fame, highlighting the obstacles he had to overcome and the sacrifices he had to make along the way. A showdown with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 marked a pivotal moment for the 'The Notorious', altering the trajectory of his career. Since the submission loss to Nurmagomedov back in October 2018, McGregor has faced setbacks, losing two out of his next three bouts.

The journey and mental anguish of McGregor leading up to the fight with his Russian rival has been well depicted in 'McGregor Forever'. The series gave viewers a close look at the Irish fighter's personal life and the struggles he encountered outside of the octagon.

During the pre-race press conference at the World Wide Technology Raceway, Corey LaJoie openly shared how Conor McGregor's documentary taught an important lesson, emphasizing the impact it had on his perspective and approach:

“I was watching that Netflix documentary on Connor McGregor on the way up here and that will fire you up, for one. But he had this quick saying. He’s training and the lead-up before the fight with Khabib, and he was mad. He just wasn’t focused and the chip on his shoulder was weighing him down as opposed to motivating him. And he said that whether it was – don’t eat that, then I ate it.”

LaJoie added:

“So you string together these defeats, like these mental defeats, and then you don’t feel confident that when the big challenge comes that you can rise to the occasion."

Catch Corey LaJoie's comments below (7:00):

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WATCH: Conor McGregor's live reaction to Khabib Nurmagomedov's retirement caught in 'McGregor Forever'

Conor McGregor's live response to Khabib Nurmagomedov announcing his retirement was captured in the documentary 'McGregor Forever', and it has since gone viral. Clips from the documentary, now streaming on Netflix, exhibit McGregor's visible disappointment upon hearing the news.

Following his victory against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, Nurmagomedov declared his retirement, citing the death of his father as the reason. According to Conor McGregor, Nurmagomedov had always intended to retire, and McGregor is at peace with not getting his revenge. However, he remains steadfast in his belief that the opportunity for a rematch will eventually arise:

“I know he's always had retirement on his mind, he doesn't really want to be in there too much I don’t think, so it is what it is. He said he had a conversation with his mother. Talked to her for three days. So, it is what it s, I couldn’t give a f**k."

Check out the video below: