Article by Mattan Yuger
The notorious, Mystic Mac, The fighting Irish, Conor McGregor is a man of many names and a whole, greater than the sum of its parts. Love him or hate him, there is nothing quite like him in the fighting game today. McGregor was not the first MMA star to cross over into mainstream stardom but he transcended into levels that were never seen before. His story is the classic rise and fall of a star with his 3rd act comeback set to begin on January 18th.
His ascendance from an inspiring fighter, collecting welfare checks in Dublin, into an international megastar with hundreds of millions in his bank account was unparalleled. In just a couple of years, he became the face of the sport as he single-handedly pushed MMA closer to the mainstream. It’s hard to explain the levels of excitement and buzz that follows him as he turns every fight into the Conor MacGregor show.
First two-division champion
No one before him ever mobilized and carried an entire nation on his back the way Conor did with the Irish fans. His iconic post-fight quote in Dublin - “We’re not just here to take part — we’re here to take over” crowned him as a local hero with an army of fans who follow and support him around the world. Disregarded by many early on as a gimmick, he was quick to prove them wrong as he cleared an entire division before climbing a weight class to become the first two-division champion.
Known for his big left hand and an even bigger mouth, McGregor took the trash-talking game to another level and set a new bar for the fighting-entertainment business. The way he taunts his opponents and runs his mouth, both inside and outside the cage, has made countless moments for the MMA pantheon. Many try to manufacture his success but few can match his organic personality along with that flashy fighting style and skills to back up his big mouth and an even bigger ego.
Conor is a perpetual shit-stirrer, with a movie star’s charisma, Irish wit, and tons of natural raw charm. A quick jump into the time machine for his first skype interview on the MMA Hour will remind us why the world was quick to fall in love with him. Even before he ever stepped into the octagon, his star qualities were undeniable as he was full of confidence, cracking jokes and casually munching on blueberries in his humble one-bedroom, Dublin apartment.
“They love me because I love myself” he jokingly said, without realizing just how much he hit the nail on the head and continued to nonchalantly predict (with striking accuracy) how he was about to take over the UFC. It’s that Joyful brash young man that we miss before all the controversies started to pile on.
The fall of an MMA Star
There’s just no textbook to prepare you for that level of sudden success, wealth and fame and Conor seems to have fallen into all the classic traps. It was the build-up for the Khabib fight, with all the bad blood and infamous bus incident, when things really turned ugly. Since that post-fight brawl and his absence from the cage, the man has been on a self-distractive path, constantly making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
With his reputation taking a beating, both inside and outside the octagon, Conor is the most divisive character in combat sports today. With all the none stop altercations. phone smashings, rage tantrums, pub brawls, and many nefarious accusations, it seems like fight fans are getting tired of the antics and ready to see him do what he does best – Elite cage fighting.
Conner McGregor vs Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone - UFC 246
Fortunately for him, people’s memory is short and all he needs is one ‘W’ to get him back on track. The only question is, does he still have the same hunger, strive and passion to compete. It’s easier to make the sacrifice in the gym and fight the toughest killers in the game for a young fighter with nothing to lose than for a multi-millionaire who doesn’t need to work another day of his life. His next fight with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will put his will to the test. While it’s a winnable matchup for McGregor and the MMA betting odds are in his favor, Cerrone is a true OG and veteran of the game with the most wins in UFC history. There are no tune-up fights in the UFC and you can’t half-ass it, you have to be 100% in it to win it. This is a true do or die moment for McGregor’s career and comes January 18th, we’ll all find out if the mac is truly back.