Conor McGregor is a name synonymous to the UFC and here are some of his best moments that have made him an MMA legend
Irish MMA star Conor McGregor might still be fighting in the UFC but he already has achieved legendary status.
McGregor created UFC history by becoming the first to hold two division belts at the same time. Others have achieved that feat but no one carries the swagger that McGregor does. The Irishman is known for his trash talking and also gets fans on their feet.
It comes as no surprise that the UFC great has been involved in five out of the six highest selling PPVs in the promotion.
McGregor has been involved in several incredible moments throughout his career, and here are five that have led him to become an MMA legend.
Best 5 UFC moments that made Conor McGregor a legend in MMA
1) That second win
This fight might have been on the prelim card for Fight Night: Shogun vs Sonnen, but this was another glimpse into what McGregor would bring to the UFC.
The Irishman was coming off an impressive debut KO win over Marcus Brimage, but this was a different clash.
Max Holloway was just 21 at the time and the pair put on a slug fest. It was McGregor who came out on top after three rounds, but this was just a taste of things to come.
This fight might not be all that glamorous in terms of titles or position on the card. However, this is one fight that people will go back to when they chart the growth of McGregor.
2) Super Fight vs Floyd Mayweather Jr
This is one of the more controversial picks for the list. Floyd Mayweather Jr is considered as one of the greatest boxers ever. However, McGregor was going to step into the boxing ring for the first time in the super welterweight division.
McGregor made $30million before even entering the ring and this was for the WBC money belt. While the Irishman was in control early on and won the first few rounds, it was Mayweather that got the TKO win in the end.
The result didn’t go McGregor’s way but the Irishman was willing to risk it all in another sport. He got the money, brought a ton of media attention to MMA and the UFC, and was a huge talking point in the fighting circles.
3) Double champion
Fresh off a huge win over Nate Diaz, McGregor was keen to add a second belt to his waist. His challenge was taking on Eddie Alvarez for the Lightweight title and this was another classic Conor encounter.
The pair met at UFC 205 and this already was an historic event. UFC 205 was the first event by the promotion to be held in New York City.
Alvarez was coming into this clash after a win over Rafael dos Anjos. However, McGregor needed just two rounds to get the better of the champion.
This was further proof of McGregor’s status as a UFC great. He became the company’s first double-champion, something of a trend setter for future champions.
4) Nate Diaz rematch
McGregor came into this match after a huge win over Jose Aldo. While that will be touched upon soon, this was McGregor dreaming of winning a second title in the UFC.
However, Rafael dos Anjos, the then Lightweight champion, pulled out with a broken foot. Nate Diaz stepped in on 13-days notice and shocked the world by defeating McGregor, while handing him his first UFC loss.
McGregor wasn’t done and wanted a rematch which was set up at UFC 202. Diaz seemed set to get the win again but McGregor powered through to get his loss back.
This was proof that McGregor could come back from a shock and also highlighted that he had a huge rival in Diaz.
5) Jose Aldo KO
McGregor vs Jose Aldo was set for the unified Featherweight title at UFC 194 and that was one of the greatest moments in UFC history.
McGregor was already holding the interim title after defeating Chad Mendes, his first belt in the competition.
However, more was to come from the Irishman. Despite Aldo not having lost in almost a decade, the fight was done in 13 seconds.
This is still a record for a championship UFC bout and it catapulted McGregor into greater heights. The Irishman became a star not only in the UFC and outside it and has continued bringing fans in from all across the world.
How McGregor vs Poirier was set up?
Going into this fight, both stars actually charted different routes. McGregor defeated Poirier at UFC 178 and he went on a rise while The Diamond was in a bit of a slump.
McGregor kept on winning titles while Poirier was trying to get himself back in the game.
McGregor’s downfall wasn’t the loss to Mayweather but the loss to Khabib. Poirier kept rising up the ranks and staying in regular fights ensured he overtook McGregor in the rankings too.
While McGregor beat Donald Cerrone before this fight, Poirier got the better of the more dangerous Dan Hooker and even battled Khabib prior to that.
More UFC news
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- Amanda Ribas might have picked up close to 30 pounds after weighing in at 116 pounds ahead of UFC 257
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