Conor McGregor is an Irish professional mixed martial artist who is currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is the current UFC Lightweight Champion and former UFC Featherweight Champion.
During his career, McGregor has competed as a featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight. Conor is commonly known for his knockout on champion Jose Aldo within 13 seconds.
Find out more amazing facts about him, here!
1. Conor Anthony McGregor was born 14 July 1988 in Dublin, Ireland.
2. His parents are Tony and Margaret McGregor.
3. He was raised in the South Dublin suburb of Crumlin and attended a Gaelscoil and Gaelcholáiste at both primary and at secondary level in Coláiste de hÍde in Tallaght, where he also developed his passion for sport playing association football.
4. In his youth, he played football for Lourdes Celtic Football Club.
5. He used to get bullied because of being easy target due to his shorter stature and size growing up. Bullying is one reason why he grew closer to combat sport growing up.
6. As a youth, McGregor took up kickboxing and at the age of 12, he began boxing at Crumlin Boxing Club under two-time Olympian Phil Sutcliffe where he often trained alongside Dean Byrne and Jamie Kavanagh, both of whom went on to train at Wild Card Gym under Freddie Roach.
7. McGregor later became an All-Ireland boxing champion at the youth level.
8. In 2006, McGregor moved with his family to Lucan in West Dublin, attending Gaelcholáiste Coláiste Cois Life. Following that, he commenced a plumbing apprenticeship.
9. While in Lucan, he met future UFC fighter Tom Egan and they soon started training mixed martial arts (MMA) together.
10. On 17 February 2007, at the age of 18, McGregor made his mixed martial arts debut, in an amateur fight against Kieran Campbell for the Irish Ring of Truth promotion in Dublin.
11. He was victorious via technical knockout (TKO) in the first round. Following the fight, he turned professional and was signed by the Irish Cage of Truth promotion. In 2008, McGregor began training at the Straight Blast Gym (SBG) in Dublin under John Kavanagh.
12. On 9 March 2008, McGregor had his first professional MMA bout, as a lightweight, defeating Gary Morris with a second-round TKO. After McGregor won his second fight against Mo Taylor, he made his featherweight debut in a loss via submission against Artemij Sitenkov.
13. After a victory at featherweight in his next bout against Stephen Bailey, McGregor contemplated a different career path before his mother contacted his coach John Kavanagh and reinvigorated him to continue pursuing mixed martial arts.
14. McGregor then won his next fight, also at featherweight, against Connor Dillon, before moving back to lightweight for a fight against Joseph Duffy where he received his second professional loss after submitting to an arm-triangle choke.
15. Following this, during 2011 and 2012, McGregor went on an eight-fight win streak, during which he won both the CWFC Featherweight and Lightweight championships, making him the first European professional mixed martial artist to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously.
16. In 2015, at UFC 194, McGregor defeated José Aldo for the featherweight championship via knockout after thirteen seconds in the first round. This was the fastest victory in UFC title fight history.
17. Upon defeating Eddie Alvarez for the UFC Lightweight Championship, at UFC 205, McGregor became the first fighter in UFC’s history to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously.
18. He is known for being the biggest pay-per-view draw in MMA as well as his extravagant lifestyle and trash talking.
19. In February 2013, UFC president Dana White made a trip to Dublin, Ireland to receive a Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage from Trinity College and was inundated with requests to sign McGregor to the UFC. After a meeting with McGregor, and talking with UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, White offered him a contract days later.
20. Conor McGregor is already the biggest draw in UFC: Dana white was on record saying that McGregor is the biggest thing ever happened to UFC or for the sport of MMA.
21. Speaking of nick names, Conor McGregor has been on the social media campaign recently vowing to change his nick name to “The Celtic Tiger” He has a massive tiger tatto on his belly and often posts stuff on social media and also in a interview to local irish media where he suggested the nick name change.
22. Vocal supporter of gay-rights in Ireland: McGregor has been supporting “same-sex marriage” movement in Ireland for a good while. he has been on record saying that him and his team supports same-sex marriage and every human being deserve equal rights.
23. Conor McGregor is dubbed as Irish Muhammad Ali. McGregor did a cover for UFC magazine copying that famous Muhammad Ali sports illustrated cover. McGregor acknowledge the comparisons with Ali and feed honored but wants to establish his own brand.
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