Watch: When Conor McGregor thrilled his fans after landing no-look combinations while sparring ahead of UFC 196
With 19 of Conor McGregor's 22 wins coming by way of knockouts, it's fair to recognize him as one of UFC's best strikers.
When he sent shockwaves around the MMA world after knocking out Jose Aldo in 2015, the Irishman proved exactly why "precision beats power and timing beats speed."
It goes without saying that McGregor's striking ability can put his opponents to sleep. He was hoping to do that at UFC 196 against Nate Diaz, who is well known for possessing an iron-like chin.
Ahead of the highly-anticipated fight, McGregor partook in an open workout session alongside his longtime striking coach Owen Roddy.
A padded Roddy endured his student's nasty punches before 'The Notorious' decided to do something out of the ordinary. McGregor took his eyes off Roddy, gawked at his fans and landed a pair of beautiful combinations that left the audience in awe as they appreciated him with a loud roar.
Brimming with confidence, McGregor cockily exclaimed: "Too fast, too strong. Eat that". The 32-year-old also exhibited incredible head movement during the whole sequence.
However, his fight with Nate Diaz didn't turn out the way he would have wanted. The Stockton native became the first fighter to defeat Conor McGregor in the UFC after submitting him in the second round.
Conor McGregor is now on a road to redemption
Following his devastating loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018, Conor McGregor announced his comeback in style with a remarkable win over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246. He knocked 'Cowboy' out in 40 seconds of the first round.
More than a year later, McGregor took on former foe Dustin Poirier at UFC 257. The two had previously competed against each other in 2014, when the Irishman comfortably cruised past Poirier.
In the rematch, Poirier successfully avenged his loss. The Louisiana-based fighter knocked out McGregor in the second round thanks to his stinging calf kicks.
Conor McGregor is currently ranked fifth in the lightweight division. He has lost two of his three fights at 155 pounds and many have him as the underdog in his trilogy fight with Poirier at UFC 264.
When he trades blows with 'The Diamond' for the third time, a lot will be at stake for McGregor. As Poirier has said, this time around, McGregor will try to show that he's still "relevant".