Watching Conor McGregor conquer his opponent Dennis Siver in Boston this morning would remind you of Katie Taylor competing at the London Olympics.
Here we were again; a brilliant Irish fighter claiming glory on foreign soil in front of massive travelling support. Estimates vary, but it's thought between 1,500 and 2,000 made the journey from Ireland to the fight. Incredible numbers.
And all to see a remarkable athlete continuing his spectacular rise through an emerging sport.
But McGregor isn't gaining the sort of unanimous support back home that Taylor gained, nor the same groundswell of public affection Irish athletes can ordinarily be guaranteed when they make gains in their chosen code.
As Niall Kelly from the42.ie told Newstalk's Breakfast this morning: “Conor McGregor has said it on a number of occasions in the past: some people love him, some people hate him, but everyone will want to watch.”
So is that it? Are we consigned to a fixed love/hate relationship with this charismatic Dubliner?
Of course, he has a passionate following - as any social media user can vouch, McGregor has a loyal, partisan and considerable fanbase. However, his expletive-riddled public utterances and online antics are here to stay judging by this weekend's carry-on, and - regardless of whether he can become world champion in May - this 26-year-old looks miles away from becoming a national hero.
Anybody who has heard an interview with McGregor earlier in his career will recall a smart, ambitious and positive character. There was little evidence of the brash, vulgar and aggressive persona to come - and in full effect over the weekend.
From labelling his Russian-German opponent a "nazi" on Twitter (a tweet which he later deleted and issued an apology of sorts for), to giving Siver the finger in the Octagon, McGregor was true to form.
He subsequently spent approximately 10 minutes talking and dominating the post-match press conference this morning, during which he referred to the event itself as a “motherfucker”, talked about decapitating opponents, praised a quip by his colleague Paddy Holohan's as “fucken animal”, boasted about drinking a “twenty grand bottle of whiskey”, labelled a UFC rival a “pussy”, wondered aloud about “what the fuck” Siver was saying in the pre-fight build-up, called featherweight champion Jose Aldo a “skinny Brazilian from the favela” and that he “should have come into the fucken Octagon” after the fight, and explained why he metaphorically said “fuck you” by flicking the bird to Siver during the fight.
In isolation any of these quotes would merit little comment, but patch them all together and for a large proportion of the population, McGregor remains more 'Notorious' than glorious. And this is very much an Irishman making a name for himself while draped in the tricolour.
It should be said that last week UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta referred to McGregor as ‘the Irish Muhammad Ali’, a comment which the Dubliner dismissed with dignity and class. Unfortunately that response received little of the headlines generated by the original quote, something to which McGregor will have to become accustomed.
Today, he was the main reason 14,000 attended a Boston arena while the New England Patriots were in action 30 miles away - a stunning achievement.
Yet, as he predicted himself, he still divides opinion among his own people. The great shame is that while McGregor may be closing in on a UFC world title, he appears to be no further along in becoming a national hero at home.
So what do you think - is Conor McGregor fit to represent Ireland?
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