McGregor has taken the UFC by storm climbing to the top of the ladder after only six fights.
From his first fight onwards Dana White has seen McGregor as a potential superstar and on Saturday night/Sunday morning in Las Vegas he achieved that superstar status.
The Notorious’ perfect blend of outstanding talent and overwhelming charisma has made him the poster boy of one of the fastest growing sports in the world and McGregor has given Ireland a champion they can be proud of.
McGregor from the very beginning of his UFC career has been pining to be the greatest in all of his interviews. He doesn’t play the modest card of taking it one fight at a time, he lays his cards on the table saying his only aim is to be the best.
In an interview with Off the Ball back in August 2013, just as his UFC journey was beginning, McGregor highlighted that ‘martial arts is a lifestyle; to be number one it must be like this, I’m not here to be number five’.
Many one see the above quote as arrogance but in fact it just signifies McGregor’s determination to reach the top of something he has dedicated his life to.It’s also the people around McGregor that have helped him on his meteoric rise to the top. His coach John Kavanagh in an interview with Off the Ball made the point that Conor’s mental strength is one of his greatest assets, and he thinks the fighter has a gift for dealing with pressure in the build up to fights.
“The pressure doesn't affect him like it would a normal civilian for whatever reason. He's able to be relaxed as though he were in the gym.
“He’s a very passionate individual and whatever he’s doing he likes to do at a very high level. I wouldn’t use ‘chilled out’ to describe Conor, no. He’s an intense individual, highly competitive in anything he’s doing. He’s very driven and very successful.”
In defeating Mendes at UFC 189, McGregor has finally put doubts to rest that he is unable to perform against fighters with a wrestling background. The interim title described as a ‘toy’ by Jose Aldo means McGregor has now reached the top and in the near future McGregor will fight it out with Aldo to become the undisputed UFC featherweight champion.
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