5 incredible Conor McGregor predictions that came true years later
Conor McGregor is called 'Mystic Mac' for a reason. The former UFC two-division champion has an uncanny talent for predicting how things play out in the MMA world.
It isn't unusual for professional athletes to make bold predictions as it's one way to get an extra boost of motivation. But what's impressive about Conor McGregor's predictions is that they include minute details that later unfold in real life.
Love him or hate him, Conor McGregor has correctly predicted the future too many times to chalk it up just to sheer luck. Whether it's due to his supremely high confidence, his ability to assess his opponents, or whether he truly possesses a supernatural gift - nobody knows.
Let's recap five times Conor McGregor made incredible predictions that came true years later.
#5 Conor McGregor predicts surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo on the Forbes list
Most of Conor McGregor's prophecies take place within the confines of the UFC cage. But sometimes, the Irishman likes to predict events that go beyond his fights.
Recently, another Conor McGregor prediction came to pass as he ascended to the top spot on Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes in 2021.
In 2016, a video of Conor McGregor and football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo enjoying a friendly chatter went viral on the internet. At one point, the two sports icons bonded about their shared interest in owning a private jet.
Ronaldo said he already has his own jet and McGregor replied by saying he would love to own one when he rises to the top of Forbes's list.
"You're number one on Forbes's list. I was like, number 35. I'll get up," Conor McGregor said. "Maybe next year I'll get you."
Conor McGregor didn't overtake Ronaldo the following year as he predicted, but the Irishman's prediction ultimately came true five years later.
According to Forbes, the Dublin native earned a total of $180 million this past year, most of which came from selling his majority stake of Proper No. 12. The Juventus star, meanwhile, currently sits in third place, with $120 million in total earnings this year.
#4 Conor McGregor predicts back-to-back wins over Diego Brandao and Dustin Poirier
Conor McGregor rose to popularity by stringing together several stoppage wins before capturing the UFC featherweight title. His run was ignited by back-to-back TKO wins in 2014, which the 'Notorious One' had predicted.
In Conor McGregor's third fight in the Octagon, he headlined a UFC card in his hometown against TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) winner Diego Brandao. In the lead-up to the fight, McGregor made some bold predictions:
"Saturday night when I go out there and put Diego away in the first round, I'll prove my worth," said McGregor.
Come fight night, McGregor did exactly what he said. To the delight of the Dublin crowd, McGregor dropped Brandao with a huge left hand and followed up with some ground strikes to seal the TKO win.
Two months later, Conor McGregor made a quick turnaround to fight Dustin Poirier at UFC 178. The Irishman once again predicted another easy victory for himself.
"I'm gonna crack him with a job and he's gonna wobble and I'm gonna put him away early. It is going to be a first-round KO, mark my words," predicted McGregor.
With over three minutes remaining in the opening round, McGregor made good on his promise when he connected with a left hand that sent Poirier crashing to the ground. The Irishman finished Poirier off with a couple of hammer fists to seal the victory.
#3 Conor McGregor predicts his ascent to UFC superstardom
Apart from fight results, Conor McGregor also predicted his emergence as the biggest star in MMA. At a press conference ahead of Conor McGregor’s fight with Dennis Siver, he made some bold predictions in front of fellow UFC stars Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey, Anderson Silva, and Lyoto Machida.
“There are a lot of great stars up here. And a lot of huge, huge fights. But let’s see by the end of 2015, let's see who has the highest pay-per-view numbers, let's see who has the highest gate, let's see who has the highest attendance because I am setting up for that," said McGregor.
Conor McGregor has definitely become one of the most popular stars in UFC history and he did break many records on his way to the top. The Irishman's championship bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 raked in $2.4 million PPV buys. UFC 229 still remains the highest-grossing card in UFC history to this day.
#2 Conor McGregor predicts his TKO win over Chand Mendes
Conor McGregor was so certain that he would put Chad Mendes away at UFC 189, that he even challenged his bosses to a bet.
"You wanna know how confident this kid is? He told Lorenzo (Fertitta) and I the other day, 'I bet you $3 million I knock him out in the second round,'" UFC president Dana White revealed.
Conor McGregor would have been $3 million richer if the UFC bosses took him up on the bet.
After a back-and-forth fight, McGregor's prediction came true when he scored a TKO win over Mendes with just three seconds remaining in the second round. 'Mystic Mac' rocked Mendes with a left hook and rained punches down on him to finish the fight.
What was even more impressive was how accurate McGregor's breakdown of how his fight with Mendes turned out to be. In an episode of UFC Embedded, McGregor said:
"When I am pressing him and pressing him and we are having these exchanges and these scrambles, his belly is going to be breathing in and his body is going to be screaming for oxygen. And I am going to be still there in his face cracking him with everything I have, the heel the knee."
McGregor did exactly that as he pressured Mendes with punches, knees, elbows and spinning attacks from the get-go.
#1 Conor McGregor calls Jose Aldo's opening attack
The biggest highlight of Conor McGregor's career is, arguably, his 13-second KO of Jose Aldo to capture the UFC featherweight title.
But even before this star-making performance, Conor McGregor shared a breakdown of how he thought his highly-anticipated bout with the Brazilian would go down.
“I felt when we stared down, I felt his right hand was twitching a little bit, that was a subtle tell for me. He is ready to unload that right hand, but I feel that could be a downfall for him. If he unloads that right hand, I will not be there," noted McGregor.
Come UFC 194, Aldo charged at McGregor with a right hand in the opening moments of the main event. But the 'Notorious One' saw it coming and connected with a perfectly-timed counter left that sent the unconscious Aldo crashing to the mat.