Conor McGregor reacts after returning to list of Ireland's most admired athletes for the first time in 6 years

MMA superstar Conor McGregor was named in a list of Ireland's most admired athletes for the year 2023.

As reported by Irish Mirror, the list was curated by Teneo Sports through a survey and included 'The Notorious' for the first time in six years. McGregor tied for sixth place on the list along with names like Katie McCabe, David Clifford and Rory Mcllroy.

Upon learning about the news, the Irishman took to Twitter to share his acknowledgment for the accolade.

"Thank you!" wrote Conor McGregor.

The last time McGregor featured on this list was way back in 2017. This was the year when he went-to-toe against Floyd Mayweather in a historic boxing clash at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.

One interesting thing to note is that in 2023, McGregor received a mention on the list despite not fighting in the octagon.

McGregor was last seen in action in July 2021 when he locked horns against Dustin Poirier in a trilogy fight at UFC 264. The contest ended on an unfortunate note as the Irishman suffered a gruesome leg injury in the closing seconds of the opening round.

This led to the fight being stopped and 'The Diamond' being declared the winner by TKO via doctor stoppage.

McGregor has been in recovery since then and appeared as a coach on the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite Michael Chandler. Although, there is no official announcement yet, the two are expected to share the octagon in 2024.

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Who topped the list of Ireland's most admired athletes that also featured Conor McGregor?

The name on the top position on the list of Ireland's most admired athletes was that of prominent boxer Katie Taylor. The 37-year-old received around 20 percent of the total votes in order to secure the number one ranking.

Taylor was recently seen in action on November 25 when she took on Chantelle Cameron in a rematch at the 3A Arena in Dublin, Ireland. 'KT' avenged the only loss of her professional career by scoring a majority decision victory over Cameron.

Conor McGregor, who shares a friendly relationship with Taylor, took to Twitter to congratulate her on the victory.

“Two women amazing! Congratulations Katie Taylor! What a comeback! What a redemption! What a hero of Ireland! #Psalm18 @KatieTaylor”