Another rags-to-riches MMA story from Ireland, PFL prospect Nathan Kelly details the undeniable impact of Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor is undoubtedly the biggest superstar ever to grace the UFC octagon and is easily the most famous MMA personality in the world. Given his storied career and poetic rise to the top, it's unsurprising to see many MMA fighters being heavily influenced and inspired by McGregor.
Irish MMA prospect Nathan Kelly is among those who look up to 'The Notorious.' Coming off an impressive unanimous decision win over Damion Nelson at the PFL 8: 2023 Playoffs, the 26-year-old featherweight prospect is among Ireland's fastest-rising MMA prospects.
From a humble background, Kelly considered his famous compatriot a motivating force. In an interview with the Daily Star just before his fight last Friday, Nathan Kelly opened up about training with Conor McGregor and coach John Kavanagh at SBG Ireland. He said:
"Conor comes in and out of the gym. I actually had a spar with him last Monday; It's good to work on my skills with him. I did drills with him a year or two ago but didn't get much time to train with him. But the other day, I got a real feel of him. It was class."
Nathan Kelly continued to outline how Conor McGregor influenced him to pursue his dreams as a youngster:
"I looked up to the fella since I was a kid. He made me believe that people from Ireland could do it... He shined the light for us and paved the way for us to do it, so to share the mats with him is unbelievable."
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler: 'Iron' on "grey area" surrounding Irishman's USADA clearance
Michael Chandler seemingly doesn't mind fighting Conor McGregor even if the Irishman doesn't fulfill six months in the USADA testing pool. He recently pointed out how a loophole in the testing agency's rules could help McGregor return sooner.
Chandler and McGregor were announced as opposing coaches for TUF 31 earlier this year and were expected to fight following the season finale. However, the Irishman's absence from the USADA testing pool is a huge hurdle that hasn't been overcome. Neither has he been tested since 2021.
Speaking to reporters at UFC 292, 'Iron' claimed he just needs to see Conor McGregor get tested before their fight. He said:
"To me, as long as a man is in the USADA testing pool for months on end, and he has the ability to be tested multiple times a day for a certain period, it's a sport. That to me, is a very interesting grey area, and ultimately, I'm out here, and I can fight Conor with one day in the USADA testing pool or a year in the testing pool. It's not gonna make a difference."