Conor McGregor is potentially the biggest name in the UFC. He’s brought millions of fans to the sport thanks to his cocky attitude, natural showmanship, and ability to back up his talk with results. As well as a career in MMA, he’s recently dabbled in boxing, fighting Floyd Mayweather in a huge money fight. While he’s had a lot of great performances in the UFC to date, we think these are five of his best.
Conor McGregor vs Dennis Siver
Some people thought that Conor would come into this fight with an additional bit of pressure that had yet to be felt by the Irishman, as UFC boss Dana White said that if he defeated Siver, he would get a shot at the featherweight title. However, this didn’t phase Conor at all, as he was up to his usual antics in the lead-up to the fight and put on a clinic in the octagon. He pressured Siver relentlessly in the first round with his strong left hand and use of creative kicks before knocking out the German kickboxer in the second round thanks to a powerful left cross.
Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz
Conor’s first fight against Nate Diaz was somewhat of an upset, as the Irishman lost for the first time in the UFC. He didn’t have to wait long to get his rematch, and after learning from what happened in the first bout, he handled the fight extremely well. After being submitted in the first fight by the superior wrestling prowess of Diaz, McGregor effectively used his striking to counter his opponent when coming in for a takedown. While McGregor didn’t get the knockout, he did drop Diaz on more than one occasion, which was enough to give him the win via majority decision.
Conor McGregor vs Diego Brandao
One of the fights that has often been overlooked in his career is his third-ever UFC bout against the Brazilian fighter Diego Brandao. There had been a lot of buzz around McGregor after his opening two fights, and the UFC decided to take a chance on him by hosting a UFC event in Dublin, Conor’s home town. Conor didn’t disappoint, and he came out of the blocks swinging. Brandao just couldn’t handle Conor’s power, and it took just over four minutes in the first round for Conor to win by TKO.
Conor McGregor vs Jose Aldo
This fight is remembered more for its build-up than the actual contest, thanks in most part to the stunning war of words between the two fighters and the brevity of the contest. There was a lot of media coverage in the leadup to Conor’s first title shot, with tempers frequently spilling over between the two. However, this was all part of Conor’s mind games to get the usually calm Brazilian out of his rhythm, which worked to full effect. In the opening seconds, Aldo came out swinging at McGregor, which left him open to a perfectly timed left cross from Conor. That punch knocked out Aldo in 13 seconds and gave Conor his first-ever UFC belt.
Conor McGregor vs Eddie Alvarez
After claiming his first belt at featherweight, Conor had his eyes set on his next prize – the lightweight belt held by Eddie Alvarez. This was a weight class higher than Conor had previously fought at, and many people weren’t sure whether he’d be able to handle it. As usual, Conor proved all the doubters wrong as he put on a clinic against Alvarez. He destroyed him with his overwhelming striking ability, throwing punches and kicks left and right. Watching Conor strike is like not knowing what card is going to come next in one of the games at live casino Canada or in a round of Russian roulette; the level of excitement is very high! While Alvarez put up a brave fight, he eventually succumbed to the superior striking ability of his opponent, and McGregor won by TKO in round 2.
Conclusion
These are just some of the impressive victories that Conor has had during his UFC career. Which one do you think is his best, and are there any we’ve left out that you think should have made the list?