Notorious MMA champ splashed on out $1.7m on a Spanish villa he also found a new admirer in Dwayne Johnson.

The Irish are fond of taking sun holidays in Spain, and the next time Conor McGregor heads for the heat he’ll have a fab place to go to.

The UFC star just plunked down £1.3 million – about $1.7 million bucks – for a lovely villa in Marbella with an infinity pool, spa and a drop-dead gorgeous view of the Mediterranean.  It’s in a gated development too, so no prying cameras will be lurking about the place.

Read more: Meet the Irishman who became Conor McGregor’s photographer

The price was chump change given that Conor pocketed some $100 million from his boxing bout against Floyd Mayweather last August.  He hasn’t fought since and his next battle is set for New York in June, in a courtroom, to face the music over attacking a bus at a UFC press event in April at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Meanwhile, CMcG has another celebrity admirer out there, none other than The Rock – best known these days as action star Dwayne Johnson.  Rock spent his Saturday night watching Conor’s 2017 documentary Notorious, he reported on Instagram and praised the Irish star to the hilt.

“Great insight into the DNA of this successful and smart business man.  Best part of his success, is when you strip it all away -- it will always come down to being the hardest worker in the room. Those roots never go away.  Solid doc. Well done brother,” he wrote.

Conor naturally took note and was thankful for the shout-out. “Thank you Rock! Your work ethic is inspiring to me and I appreciate these words very much! Big respect my Uce,” he responded on his Instagram…which seems to have replaced the telephone as the main mode of communication between celebs these days.

Read more: What you need to know about Conor McGregor