Conor McGregor looks back at 2015 photo of Invicta FC champion Danni McCormack and coach John Kavanagh: "Incredible"
Conor McGregor is a big supporter of Straight Blast Gym (SBG) Ireland, the place that played a key role in helping him become a superstar. Thus, it is no shock to see the Irishman take to X/Twitter to share a throwback picture of his coach John Kavanagh and teammate Danni McCormack, the latter of whom captured Invicta FC strawweight gold.
The throwback is specific to the Irishman, as it was taken ahead of his UFC interim featherweight title fight with then top 145-pounder Chad Mendes, who 'The Notorious' went on to TKO in round two of a thrilling war from 2015. In his tweet, McGregor congratulated both Kavanagh and McCormack.
"Incredible! Huge congrats @dannimccormack and @John_McCormack! @ufc we've been here!"
The Irishman has long been a proponent of SGB Ireland's success, often trying to coax fighters to the gym. For a time, he had succeeded, as the gym is home to the likes of Makwan Amirkhani and Gunnar Nelson, and previously hosted featherweight power-puncher Artem Lobov.
All three men competed in the UFC, with only Nelson remaining in the promotion. Lobov's situation, however, has changed more dramatically than the others. He not only left the UFC, he also left SBG Ireland.
Nelson is inactive, while Amirkhani was booted from the UFC. Meanwhile,
This was due to the end of his friendship with McGregor, with whom he is now embroiled in a bitter feud. The animosity, however, did not begin with McGregor, but with Lobov, who claims he is owed substantial financial compensation for his alleged part in the success of McGregor's Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey.
Conor McGregor has never trained with another gym
Conor McGregor's first true MMA gym was Straight Blast Gym Ireland and it remains his only home. The Irishman has demonstrated fierce loyalty to the gym and John Kavanagh, with whom he has captured both Cage Warriors and UFC gold en route to become the sport's greatest superstar.
In fact, McGregor's idea of gym loyalty is so ironclad that he lambasted fellow titleholder T.J. Dillashaw for leaving Team Alpha Male to train exclusively with Duane Ludwig, which sparked a heated feud between the two camps.