I don’t think people can fathom what exactly Conor McGregor has done for the UFC. I don’t think they realise the impact he will have on future generations for years to come; the impact he is having on Ireland. 

Speaking as somebody who cried like a baby after watching Nate Diaz submit the Notorious  at UFC196, it is fair to say that he is now going to have his fair share of doubters or “haters”. This baffles me so much. Why show hate all of a sudden? The amount of times I’ve heard people say – “he was too cocky going into the fight” and “it was always going to happen though” since then is phenomenal. Some, not all, of these people were the very ones saying he will never be bet in the UFC. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. Opinions change. I’m just using that point to show how quickly an opinion can change. 

 I often talk MMA with one of my best friends, but in particular – UFC. I’ve been watching UFC since Conor McGregor shot onto the scene in April 2013 (so three years just), but my friend has been watching it since before most Irish people knew it existed – maybe 6 or 7 years. He knows quite a bit more than I ever will about the organisation, but it doesn’t stop us from discussing it regularly. Sometimes our opinions are the same, sometimes they differ. However, there is one thing that we have always said to each other, and a lot of people will know this: 

Anybody can lose a fight. That is the beauty of it. You can be the best fighter in the world – John Jones, George St Pierre, Jose Also, Conor McGregor. Any of these great fighters can lose. It just takes one punch; one slip; one mistake. 

This is exactly what happened Conor McGregor. He was on top in a match that most people gave Nate Diaz no chance of surviving, when he was rocked with a left hand. That was it. Game over. Diaz Wins. McGregor loses.  

Back to the purpose of this article…

I want to express my opinion as to why nobody should doubt or show a disliking to Conor McGregor. Particularly Irish people. I aim to do so using 6 points: 

1. The Notorious has changed the game completely. Up until maybe a year ago, if you were the winner of a main event fight you would expect to come out with somewhere in the region of $100,000 – $200,000 (depending on bonuses on the night). Fast forward to March ’16 and this is very different. Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor both left the MGM Grand Arena with pay chequers in excess of $1m. A lot more. This is down to the so called “cocky” attitude of McGregor (and Diaz) in selling the fight. I’m sure the other fighters on the roster will appreciate this and so should all the fans. It brings the UFC to the next level! 
2. He fought 15lbs above the class he was set to fight at – on 11 days notice. So many fighters would have decided to pull out of the fight as soon as Rafael Dos Anjos broke his foot. He had prepared to fight RDA at lightweight and all of a sudden it won’t be happening. When Diaz was named as his replacement, McGregor told UFC president Dana White that he would contest the bout at 170lbs to accommodate for Diaz’s weight. Not only was this the case, but I’ve recently read that McGregor entered the Octogon weighing in at 168lbs whereas Diaz entered the Octogon weighing 181-183lbs (according to Chael Sonnen). None of these things phased Conor. He didn’t want to let the fans down. He went in and did not look out of place fighting at this level. 
3. His pride for his country is unmatched. One thing that nobody can take away from the featherweight champion is the pride he has for his country. He represents Ireland every single time he is in the cage and every single time he is in front of the cameras. You will always hear him say how proud he is of where he is from. He trains in Ireland with his own people until just before he has to fly out for a big fight. Not to mention how he never has an issue signing autographs or posing for photos with fans. 
4. What he is doing for the sport of MMA in Ireland (and around the world). I am 25 years old in April coming, and I have never wanted to join something as much as I’d love to join MMA right now. I see lots of kids now getting involved in this brilliant discipline where you would have never seen this before. Conor McGregor is a brilliant ambassador for the sport and a very effective one. He’s also the prime example as to why young people should never give up on their dreams. He didn’t, and look at him now. 
5. He is still the featherweight champion of the world. Okay so it didn’t work out for him at 170lbs this time; but let’s not forget that he is still the 145lbs champion. He defeated a man who had been unbeaten for close to 10 years – in just 13 seconds. That is a serious achievement. He breezed through the whole division in just 2 years. He was the third ever European champion in the UFC and is the ONLY ever Irish champion in the UFC. Hopefully, this won’t be long about changing. 
6. Finally, he is Irish. Whether or not you like him or whether or not you watch MMA, in my opinion – you should support your own. He is representing our country at the highest level possible. He’s at the pinnacle of mixed martial arts. A young guy from Dublin, Ireland, who up until his very first UFC fight in April 2013, was drawing €188 per week on the dole. Look at him now. 

  
So do not let one defeat to a very good, established fighter, let’s not forget, change our perspective of this great Irish champion. Support him. Let’s go on this journey with him. Let’s see just how far he can go and be there for him when it’s all over. Then we can say “I seen that fight. I was at that fight”. In my opinion, we don’t realise how lucky we are to say we were around in the same era as Conor Notorious McGregor. 

UFC200 is just around the corner. McGregor is set to defend his featherweight crown, most likely against Jose Aldo or Frankie Edgar. I for one can’t wait. 

Thanks for reading!