Top 5 Conor McGregor Rivalries
Conor McGregor is unquestionably the biggest star in all of MMA. 'Mystic Mac' has stayed relevant regardless of whether he wins or loses and is still the biggest pay-per-view draw in the sport. Usually, it takes a collective effort between two fighters for a fight to become a success on pay-per-view. However unlike other stars, McGregor has been able to sell all his fights no matter the opponent.
McGregor hasn’t shied away from making his fights personal with his opponents and isn’t afraid of crossing the line at times. In the past, McGregor has brought up family, religion, and culture in the leadup to his fights. His antics may not leave a flattering impression on some fans. However, it made him a lot of money and created many opportunities for him both as a fighter and entrepreneur.
‘The Notorious’ has achieved a great deal of success in his career. He is a former two-division UFC champion that every fighter wants to compete against because of the financial benefits. This list will look at the top 5 Conor McGregor rivalries.
#5. McGregor vs. Jose Aldo
McGregor’s rivalry with Jose Aldo is significant because it was his first major rivalry in the UFC. After ascending to the top of the UFC featherweight division, McGregor earned a shot against Aldo after defeating Chad Mendes for the interim featherweight strap. At the time, Aldo was one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world and one of the UFC’s most dominant champions.
"YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE KING OF DUBLIN!"
☘️☘️☘️
One of the wildest UFC press conference moments ever, when Conor McGregor stole Jose Aldo's belt in front of the Irish fans!
Just listen to that noise... At a press conference!?!? 😱 https://t.co/zvCkjufNM7
There was a lot of bad blood between McGregor and Aldo. The UFC had both fighters take part in an international press tour that saw them participate in multiple press conferences. ‘The Notorious’ took advantage of every opportunity there was a live mic available to antagonize Aldo.
6 years ago today Conor McGregor knocked out Jose Aldo at UFC 194 to become the UFC Featherweight Champion! 🏆
https://t.co/jp7sOjMEWe
McGregor and Aldo finally fought at UFC 194, where McGregor shocked the MMA world by knocking out Aldo in 13 seconds. The event was a massive success for the promotion. The pay-per-view generated 1.2 million pay-per-view buys and catapulted McGregor to superstardom. ‘The Notorious’ became a hot commodity for the UFC and helped fill the void left by Brock Lesnar and Georges St-Pierre.