5 reasons why Conor McGregor is one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time
Conor McGregor may have only one win in the UFC since 2017, but he remains one of the biggest stars in the promotion.
With losses to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier in his last three fights, McGregor's stock has fallen a bit recently. However, he is one of the greatest fighters the UFC has ever produced and should be recognized for all he has done for the organization.
Here are five reasons why Conor McGregor is one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time.
#5 Conor McGregor's contributions outside the Octagon
As good as Conor McGregor is inside the Octagon, he's better outside it. The UFC wouldn't be where it is today if not for the immense marketability and star power of the Irishman.
McGregor's trash talking and ability to sell PPVs has raked in money for the UFC over the years. He has played a massive hand in people starting to follow the sport of MMA and has brought a lot of viewership and recognition for fighters on any card he has been a part of.
Seven of the ten highest-grossing PPVs in the history of the UFC have involved Conor McGregor, including the top five. These numbers are astonishing and this aspect of the sport doesn't come up often enough when talking about the greatest UFC fighters of all time.
#4 Conor McGregor has always been willing to fight anyone
Since making his UFC debut in April 2013, Conor McGregor has never shied away from a challenge. In fact, even ahead of his promotion bow against Marcus Brimage, 'The Notorious' took the then biggest fight of his career on nine weeks' notice.
After Jose Aldo, then the UFC featherweight champion, had to pull out of a bout with injury, McGregor fought a completely different style of fighter in Chad Mendes on just over a week's notice for the interim belt. He produced a superb comeback to knock Mendes, who wrestled effectively in the first round, out in the second.
Conor McGregor also took on Nate Diaz at welterweight in another short-notice fight that was expected to be against Rafael dos Anjos for the UFC lightweight championship. That was made even more inspiring by the fact that he had never fought outside featherweight in the UFC before.
McGregor has always been game to fight anyone, even on short notice.
#3 Conor McGregor's impeccable striking and finish rate
Conor McGregor isn't exactly a well-rounded fighter - his ground game is suspect and he's been submitted four times in his professional career. But his striking, especially his boxing, is right up there with the best MMA has ever seen.
McGregor has a wand of a left hand that has caught out several quality fighters. His 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo remains the fastest finish in UFC title fight history, and only two of his 22 professional wins have gone the distance.
McGregor's precise, accurate, well-timed striking, combined with his composure and finish rate, makes him one of the greatest fighters in UFC history.
#2 Conor McGregor is undefeated at featherweight in the UFC
With an unblemished 7-0 record, Conor McGregor is undefeated at featherweight in the UFC.
Marcus Brimage, Diego Brandao, Dustin Poirier and Jose Aldo were all dispatched in the first round, while Dennis Siver and Chad Mendes were put away in the second. McGregor even holds a decision win over another featherweight legend in Max Holloway.
McGregor is definitely in the conversation when it comes to the greatest UFC featherweight of all time, along with Aldo, Holloway and current champion Alexander Volkanovski. Although we're unlikely to see him compete at 145 lbs again, his featherweight run to the title is etched in UFC history.
#1 Conor McGregor is a two-division champion
The list of fighters who've won UFC titles in two different weight classes is short. Randy Couture, BJ Penn, Georges St-Pierre are the men who've held titles in two divisions at different times.
Conor McGregor was the first champion to hold two titles simultaneously, and was soon followed by Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo. By beating Eddie Alvarez and getting two belts draped around his shoulders, the 32-year-old established himself as a trendsetter and a key part of UFC folklore.
McGregor has wins in three divisions in the UFC - featherweight, lightweight and welterweight. He has rarely had issues with weight cuts and his malleable body has helped him perform at a high level in all three divisions, even if he's suffered the odd blip in performance and conditioning.
Conor McGregor is, beyond doubt, one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time.