Conor McGregor is now a household name. McGregor, originally from Crumlin in Dublin city, has become, quite possibly, the most famous professional mixed martial artist in the world. The reigning Ultimate Fighting Lightweight Champion and former UFC Featherweight Champion, who began his UFC career in 2008, has competed as a featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight.
McGregor known as being the biggest pay-per-view draw in MMA and worth over $10 million. He’s also known for his extravagant lifestyle, trash-talking, and his massive fan base. Here we look at nine surprising stories behind McGregor’s incredible success.
1. His long-time girlfriend, Dee Devlin, was voted “Most Stylish Newcomer,” at the VIP Style Awards in May of 2016. Devlin, a native of Walkinstown in Dublin has been beside her man during his climb to ultimate fame and is his rock.
2. When asked by IrishCentral reporter Declan Kelly, about his stylish dress McGregor responded:
“I like to look good, my friend. I am representing Ireland on the world stage over here in America. I’m stealing the show, and I am looking to put my country in a good light. We dress well; we speak well, and we fight well.”
3. McGregor is close to fluent in the Irish language after attending two all-Irish language schools in Crumlin and Tallaght. He proudly proclaims his Irish name at every opportunity; Conchúr Antóin Mac Gréagóir.
4. If he wasn’t such a worldwide sensation, and had failed in the UFC, chances are he would now be a plumber. He had begun an apprenticeship in that trade before his extraordinary talent revealed itself and he became flushed with success.
5. His Dad, Tony, was born in England to an Irish father and English mother. Tony’s parents broke up when Tony was seven and he was sent Ireland to live with relatives. Tony met his wife, Mags, Conor’s mother, when they were both 14 as they walked to school. They married at 21. Conor has a sister, Erin.
Read more: Six reasons why Conor McGregor and Notre Dame leprechaun look and fight alike
6. Conor starred on "Saturday Night Live" last week, not his real self but actor Aex Moffat. There are clear indications that McGregor himself will be asked to host one of the shows in the upcoming months. He's already slated for a possible Game of Thrones appearance.
7. He has been compared to the Notre Dame leprechaun by UFC President Dana White in Esquire Magazine.
“McGregor, who is also extremely Irish, has an upright stance when he fights, a style that is both entrancing to watch and almost comically traditionalist.
"He looks exactly like the Notre Dame logo," says Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, referring to the university's ornery bare-knuckled leprechaun.
8. He is a vocal supporter of gay-rights in Ireland and was happy to see gay marriage voted into law in the country. He is on record saying that he and his team supports same-sex marriage and every human being deserve equal rights
9. He employs visualization heavily. McGregor often says that a lot of his success can be attributed to visualization techniques.
“If you can see it, and you have the courage to speak it, it will happen. I see these shots, I see these sequences, and I don’t shy away from them. A lot of times people believe in things, but they keep it to themselves, they don’t put it out there. If you truly believe in it, if you become vocal with it, you are creating the law of attraction and it will become reality.”
Here's an Irish produced documentary about McGregor, released in 2016:
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