5 fighters who became bigger stars thanks to Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor is undoubtedly the UFC's biggest-ever star. Incredibly, though, the Irishman might also be the promotion's greatest star-maker, too.
Over the years, various fighters have become bigger stars thanks to their associations and rivalries with Conor McGregor.
While none of them have managed to eclipse 'The Notorious', it's fair to say that they would never have become quite so revered without him.
Here are five fighters who became bigger stars thanks to Conor McGregor.
#5 Jose Aldo became a bigger star thanks to Conor McGregor
Jose Aldo probably didn't get as much of a boost from his rivalry with Conor McGregor than some of the other fighters on this list. However, there's no doubt that his profile increased with casual fans thanks to his 2015 feud with the Irishman.
By that year, Aldo had held the UFC's featherweight title for four years, and had largely dominated all comers, from Chad Mendes to the Korean Zombie.
However, the Brazilian had never really had a mega-money rivalry, primarily due to his largely stoic nature. Sure, he was a huge star at home, earning the nickname 'The King of Rio', but elsewhere, he was more respected than beloved.
That basically changed when McGregor began to call him out in 2014. 'The Notorious' taunted Aldo mercilessly, and while the champion tried his best not to respond, fans across the world became invested in the feud.
When the two fighters headlined UFC 194 in December 2015, then, they drew around 1.2 million buys on pay-per-view, a far cry from Aldo's usual numbers.
Aldo was, of course, defeated by 'The Notorious' in just 13 seconds. His career arguably never recovered fully from the loss, but he definitely enjoyed more star power following his rivalry with the Irishman.
Interestingly, Aldo stands as one of the few former foes that Conor McGregor appears to respect, too.
#4 Dillon Danis became a bigger star thanks to Conor McGregor
While the other fighters on this list all became bigger stars due to rivalries or bouts with Conor McGregor, the case of Dillon Danis is a little different.
'El Jefe' has never fought in the UFC, nor is he likely to any time soon thanks to his debacle of a boxing match with Logan Paul.
However, regardless of his fighting abilities, there's no disputing that Danis is now widely recognised as one of the most polarising men in combat sports, largely thanks to his controversial nature.
So how did Danis become a star in the first place? It was largely due to his relationship with 'The Notorious'.
'El Jefe' was plucked largely from obscurity to act as McGregor's Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach for his 2016 rematch with Nate Diaz, who submitted the Irishman in their first meeting.
At the time, Danis was a highly-regarded grappler training at the legendary Marcelo Garcia's gym - a relationship that was severed thanks to the behavior of 'El Jefe' while working with McGregor.
Later, Danis became arguably as 'Notorious' as his training partner when Khabib Nurmagomedov attempted to attack him following his 2018 win over McGregor. The attack was allegedly triggered by racist remarks made by Danis towards 'The Eagle'.
Essentially, it's clear that without his association with Conor McGregor, Danis would not have the fame - and notoriety - he now enjoys.
#3 Dustin Poirier became a bigger star thanks to Conor McGregor
This weekend at UFC 302, Dustin Poirier is set to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title. In the eyes of some fans, 'The Diamond' has perhaps jumped the queue for a title shot, enjoying the perks of the star power he's built over recent years.
It's fair to say, of course, that Poirier's star power was built almost purely on the back of his rivalry with Conor McGregor.
Prior to his two 2021 clashes with 'The Notorious', Poirier had always been viewed as a strong headliner by Dana White and company.
However, despite a wildly exciting fighting style and big wins over the likes of Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje, he'd never quite penetrated the mainstream.
That changed when he completed his trilogy with McGregor. The two men began their rivalry back in 2014, when the Irishman lanced 'The Diamond' with a left hand in the first round, climbing into featherweight title contention in the process.
The stakes were far higher for their 2021 rematch, though. Not only was the fight a highly-anticipated one, but it also enjoyed the status of being the headliner of the first show with a full crowd in attendance since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Poirier duly avenged his loss to McGregor, becoming the first fighter to ever knock 'The Notorious' out in MMA, but it was clear that nothing was really settled.
'The Diamond' later turned down a lightweight title shot to be able to finish his trilogy with the Irishman, and claimed the overall victory when McGregor suffered a bad leg break, forcing a TKO stoppage.
In the three years that have followed, Poirier has remained one of the UFC's biggest stars and biggest drawing cards - a spot he would never have been elevated into without 'The Notorious'.
#2 Khabib Nurmagomedov became a bigger star thanks to Conor McGregor
It's highly likely that regardless of his rivalry with Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov would've become a UFC legend, Hall of Famer, and a huge star in his native Russia.
After all, 'The Eagle' defeated every opponent he ever faced, retiring in 2020 with a record of 29-0. He claimed the lightweight title in 2018 and made three successful defenses, equaling a UFC record in the process.
However, the truth is that while McGregor didn't make Khabib per say, he did transform him into a mainstream star thanks to their storied rivalry.
Prior to his feud with 'The Notorious', Khabib was seen as the heir to the throne of former PRIDE heavyweight champ Fedor Emelianenko; the stoic, unstoppable Russian who would become a cult hero for hardcore fans but go largely under the radar with casuals.
That changed when his rivalry with McGregor began. From their wild, arguably racially charged social media spats to the infamous bus attack incident and Khabib demanding McGregor to "send location", the feud quickly became the biggest story in the UFC.
When the two rivals finally met at UFC 229 in October 2018, the promotion's pay-per-view buyrate record was shattered, with the event drawing an incredible 2.4 million buys.
Khabib famously won the fight with a fourth round neck crank, cementing himself as the best lightweight in the world.
While the post-fight brawl that was triggered by 'The Eagle' leaping into the crowd made for unsavory viewing, meanwhile, it only transformed Khabib into an even bigger star.
It's unlikely that Khabib will ever praise Conor McGregor thanks to their highly charged rivalry, but the truth is that without his rival, the Dagestani would not have become such a big star.
#1 Nate Diaz became a bigger star thanks to Conor McGregor
The fighter whose career was most transformed by his involvement with Conor McGregor is undoubtedly Nate Diaz.
Prior to his two fights with 'The Notorious' in 2016, Diaz was always a favorite with hardcore fans, but despite headlining a number of events, he never quite reached mainstream status.
By late 2015, Diaz's career at the top level appeared to be largely over. He hadn't fought in a year since a 2014 loss to Rafael dos Anjos, but surprised fans by dominating the highly-rated Michael Johnson to win a decision.
When he then called McGregor out for a fight in profane fashion, the seed was planted for a future bout. Nobody could've seen quite how quickly it would come around.
Just three months later, Dos Anjos - by then the UFC lightweight champ - was scheduled to defend against 'The Notorious', only to be forced out with a broken foot.
Diaz accepted the fight on late notice, and despite the bout having little to no build, the fans were enthralled. In the end, millions of viewers tuned in to see the Californian upset the odds by choking out 'The Notorious', handing him his first UFC loss.
A rematch was booked for five months later, and this time, with more build, the event - UFC 202 - broke the promotion's pay-per-view buyrate record by drawing 1.65m buys.
McGregor ended up edging the bout via split decision in a classic, but Diaz's stock also rose to an all-time high even in losing.
Although he didn't fight all that much in the years that followed, he was transformed into one of the UFC's biggest-ever stars thanks to the rivalry. When he did set foot in the octagon, it was always a big deal - and Diaz was always paid handsomely.
Without Conor McGregor, Diaz probably would've been seen as little more than a journeyman by the end of his career, making him the ultimate beneficiary of the Irishman's star power.