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There is no need to introduce the controversial Conor McGregor to anyone. He is the star of the MMA scene, and he causes a stir everywhere he goes. He is known for his spectacular lifestyle, but also excellent performance in the cage. However, only few people know that there is really hard work behind his success. His strong mind drives him forward, and he doesn’t accept anything else than beating every opponent. Where did this Irish wrestler come from, and what is his recipe for success?
A small and skinny boy who was bullied
Conor Anthony McGregor was born on July 14, 1988 in Dublin, Ireland. He grew up in the suburbs, where he played football with his friends. He was a big fan of Manchester United and with a Red Devils jersey in his closet he always dreamed of becoming one of them one day. Being shorter and slimmer than his peers, he became a victim of bullying.
This experience also brought Conor to the gym, and at the age of 12, Conor’s hobby changed from football to boxing. He later worked as a plumber, where he spent 12 hours a day repairing pipes and toilets. He mentions the times when he got up early in the morning in the crashing winter and was waiting for a ride to work whilst it was still dark. Conor realizes that there are skilled and passionate plumbers, but he is definitely not one of them. One of the impulses that brought Conor into the cage was the Irish wrestler Tom Egan, with whom the then unknown McGregor became friends. Egan was the first Irish wrestler to make it to the legendary UFC.
From a plumber to a wrestler
After meeting Egan, it didn’t take long and McGregor left the plumber career for good. He began to devote himself fully to training in the gym and made his MMA debut in 2007. It was an amateur fight against Kieran Campbell, which started McGregor’s journey into the world of MMA. A year later, he faced Gary Morris, and this is recorded as the Conor’s first professional fight. The talented Irishman defeated his opponent in the second round with a technical knockout (TKO). At the same time, he began training at the gym with John Kavanagh and joined the British wrestling organization called Cage Warriors.
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The first European to hold a title in two weight categories simultaneously
Before joining the UFC, Conor held a perfect record of eight victories in a row. At the time, he got at the top of the organization Cage Warriors and became the first European to hold titles simultaneously in two categories, namely featherweight and lightweight. However, the hopeful champion had his goals set even higher and longed to lift the belt of the famous UFC organization.
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Introduction to the President of the UFC
The UFC president, Dana White, recalls the days when he first heard the name Conor McGregor, which changed the organization forever. It was 2013 and Dana White travelled to Dublin to receive an award at Trinity College. After the ceremony, he invited UFC fans via Twitter for a drink at a nearby pub. Shortly afterwards, the pub was full and Dana talked to the fans all night. Everyone talked about Conor McGregor, whom he had never known before. When White flew back to Vegas, he asked his matchmakers about the aforementioned name from an Irish pub.
Dana White didn’t wait too long and initiated a dinner meeting. The head of the UFC recalls that he was absolutely blown away by Conor. When he got in his car after the dinner, he immediately called the then UFC director Lorenzo Fertitt. He told him on the phone that he had no idea if the boy can fight, but he felt he had the potential to become a huge superstar. Not long after the meeting, Conor fulfilled his dream of becoming a part of UFC. He had his first fight two months later in Stockholm.
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The rise of the champion who entered the history of the UFC
At the age of 24, Conor McGregor had his first UFC fight with 4 years older American Marcus Brimag. The young Irishman looked confident and, by winning in the first round, he only confirmed that Dana White’s instincts were right. McGregor became the star of the UFC scene, who joined the organization as the first wrestler in history to hold two belts at the same time.
But even that was not enough for Conor, and he wanted to push his boundaries even further. The Irishman was never hiding the fact that he would like to try a purely boxing match. He thus stirred the waters of the world of martial arts by challenging the world champion boxing Floyd Mayweather for a fist fight. Floyd was known for never losing a single fight in his professional career.
McGregor vs. Mayweather
After Mayweather accepted McGregor’s challenge, fans witnessed a historic moment. Two huge stars of martial arts stood against each other – five divisions boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather and holder of UFC titles in two divisions Conor McGregor.
It was the second most watched fight in the world, which was eventually won by Floyd Mayweather with a technical KO, earning his 50th victory. However, Conor definitely showed his boxing qualities, and in the ring with the champion, he was able to keep up for 10 rounds. This fight attracted 4.3 million fans who bought an online PPV broadcast. Total revenue reached $550 million. And what about the earnings of the main stars of the show?
The guaranteed amount before the start of the fight was $100 million for Mayweather and $30 million for McGregor. In the end, however, they both got much more than they bargained for. Thanks to flexible returns, boxing champion Mayweather credited his account with $275 million. According to Forbes magazine while the Irish MMA superstar collected something around $85 million. Floyd Mayweather’s payment was higher because he also played the role of fight promoter.
He surprised everyone by ending his career
In 2020, Conor McGregor surprised fans by announcing that he was ending his career, which he had announced several times before. However, he did not spend much time as retired and returned to the octagon for a fight with Dustin Poirier. The competition between the two fighters began back in 2014, when McGregor pulled a win.
However, their retaliation was dominated by Dustin Poirier, who won the fight. As of 2021, they are tied with one win each and the duel will eventually become a trilogy. Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will meet for the third time on July 11, 2021 in Las Vegas. This will be a key fight for the Irishman, which should determine his future in the UFC.
Tough discipline in both nutrition and training routine
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Conor McGregor had to work hard for his success. He is very determined and known for hard discipline. His diet naturally changes based on goals and preparation. It is balanced and consists mainly of various sources of protein. He eats chicken and beef, eggs and fish. An example of his eating habits comes from the time he was preparing for the fight against Dustin Poirier, which took place on January 23, 2021. Conor McGregor’s diet routine at the time allegedly looked like this:
- breakfast: savoury oatmeal with eggs and leafy vegetables
- snack: fruit salad with herbs and organic honey
- lunch: chicken breast with rice and asparagus
- afternoon snack: protein shake with some nut butter
- dinner: Irish lamb stew with potatoes
- evening snack: protein chocolate balls and organic tea
Instead of dumbbells, he mainly prefers training for flexibility and balance of the body. He’s constantly learning different fighting styles and often changes his training routine. Like McGregor’s diet, his training changes dynamically depending on the stage of preparation for fights. There are times when he trains twice every day of the week.
A controversial fighter with a vulgar dictionary who even ended up in court
Conor McGregor is known for his vulgar vocabulary, which he often uses towards his opponents. Sometimes he can’t even control his explosive nature, which lead to him attacking the bus of his opponent Khabib Nurmagomedov. He then reported himself to the police and the whole incident went to court.
The Irish wrestler has been found guilty of several violent crimes. He had to pay for the damage caused and work 5 days of community service. He was also banned from coming near to the two fighters who sat on the bus and spent a few days completing a self-control course.
Successful businessman, lover of suits and tattoos
In addition to his rich and controversial career at UFC, Conor McGregor is also known as a successful businessman. In 2018, he founded his own whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve, which has sold more than 6 million bottles since its release. The Irish fighter then grabbed a nice check for selling his majority stake to Proximo Spirits for an incredible $600 million.
Conor also became known to people as a lover of fashion, specifically suits. He cares about his luxurious style and whenever he goes to public, he wants to represent. He is also a fan of tattoos that decorate many parts of his body.
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[1] Conor McGregor - – https://www.biography.com/athlete/conor-mcgregor
[2] Conor McGregor’s Childhood Struggles Explain Why He Became ‘Obsessed With Fighting’ - – https://www.sportscasting.com/conor-mcgregors-childhood-struggles-explain-why-he-became-obsessed-with-fighting/
[3] Conor McGregor Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life - – https://sportytell.com/biography/conor-mcgregor-biography-facts-childhood-net-worth-life/
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[5] Conor McGregor sells bulk of his Irish whiskey business for $600 million - – https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/food-drink/conor-mcgregor-irish-whiskey
[6] Conor McGregor's diet that has UFC star in 'best shape of his life' ahead of Dustin Poirier fight - – https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/ufc/conor-mcgregors-diet-ufc-star-23278143
[7] Conor McGregor's UFC journey: Historic success, controversy, star power - – https://www.espn.com/mma/ufc/story/_/id/28410068/conor-mcgregor-ufc-journey-historic-success-controversy-star-power
[8] How Floyd Mayweather Made A Record $275 Million For One Night Of Work - – https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2018/06/05/how-floyd-mayweather-earned-275-million-for-one-night-of-work/?sh=179847006e4d
[9] UFC's First Irish Fighter Shares His Story - – https://www.ufc.com/news/ufcs-first-irish-fighter-shares-his-story
[10] When and why did UFC star Conor McGregor start training in MMA? - – https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-when-ufc-star-conor-mcgregor-start-training-mma
[11] Before UFC, Conor McGregor made a living fixing toilets – here’s what life was like before the Irish MMA fighter’s US$100 million fight against Floyd Mayweather - – https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3113250/ufc-conor-mcgregor-made-living-fixing-toilets-heres-what
[12] Conor McGregor Got Into Boxing When He Was Only 12 Years Old - – https://www.sportscasting.com/conor-mcgregor-got-into-boxing-when-he-was-only-12-years-old/
[13] MMA“They Came at Me So I Ran Off” – Conor McGregor Reveals He Was Bullied As a Kid - – https://www.sportsmanor.com/mma-ufc-news-they-came-at-me-so-i-ran-off-conor-mcgregor-reveals-he-was-bullied-as-a-kid/