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Time of India
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
On This Day: Conor McGregor Last Fought in the UFC 4 Years Ago
Image via Imagn: Conor McGregor at UFC 264 When Conor McGregor won the UFC featherweight title at UFC 194 by knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds, Dana White knew he had a golden goose in his hands. And in the coming years, this stardom continued to grow as the Irishman became the first fighter to hold two UFC belts simultaneously when he slayed Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. However, the dents in the invincible figure of 'Mystic Mac' were evident when he returned after boxing Floyd Mayweather. 'The Notorious' lost his grudge match at UFC 229 against Khabib Nurmagomedov and then dropped two more bouts at UFC 257 and UFC 264 to Dustin Poirier. And just like that, the Irishman's career has been on hold. Interestingly, 11 July 2025 marks the 4th year in a row that McGregor hasn't fought inside the Octagon. Conor McGregor Broke His Leg at UFC 264 and Has Been Out of Action Ever Since On July 11, 2021, Conor McGregor was on a mission. In what was a 'quieter' version of the best trash-talker in company history at UFC 257 when he got knocked by Poirier, 'The Notorious' was back for revenge this time around at UFC 264. It is safe to say that lines were crossed, and animosity was on a different level altogether. McGregor and Poirier were fighting for the third time in their UFC careers, with both athletes having one win over the other. However, the trilogy bout ended in misery for the Irishman as he broke his leg during the first round. He made it to the end of the first five minutes but was eventually unable to continue, and the fight ended in a TKO (doctor's stoppage). The post-fight antics were infamous as Poirier lambasted McGregor for his disrespect in the build-up to the fight. Meanwhile, the Irishman accused Poirier's wife, Jolie, of being in McGregor's DMs. 'Your wife is in me DMs. Hey baby! Hit me up on WhatsApp,' a battered McGregor screamed while sitting with Joe Rogan along the fence. But McGregor announced that this rivalry with Poirier wasn't over, which gave fans hope that the former double champ would eventually return to the cage once again. However, it has been 4 long years with no sign of a definite comeback. In all these years, the Irishman has teased his return on multiple occasions. McGregor even did a complete season of 'The Ultimate Fighter' with Michael Chandler, and their bout was booked one year later for UFC 303. However, the Irishman pulled out due to a pinky toe injury, and the fight never materialised. Moreover, 'Mystic Mac' is now the part-owner in BKFC and has been busy with other business ventures, such as his Greenback Records, TIDL Recovery and Black Forge Inn. Recently, there have been rumbles of the Irishman making his long-awaited return to the promotion after Donald Trump announced that the UFC will organise a fight card on the grounds of the White House. McGregor even confirmed it as a recent BKFC presser, but will the fight fans ever see this come to fruition? It's a big what-if, and only the Irishman can answer that. Also read: UFC fight on White House lawns: How Donald Trump wants to celebrate America's 250th Independence Day - watch For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
USA Today
04-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Eddie Alvarez reflects on UFC title loss to Conor McGregor: 'I went stupid'
Eddie Alvarez knows what it's like to be on the losing end of a historic loss to a UFC star, and he sees parallels between Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor. It's been nearly nine years since McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) defeated Alvarez (30-8 MMA, 4-3 UFC) by second-round knockout at UFC 205 in November 2016 to become the first simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history. This past weekend, Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) made history of his own when he knocked out Charles Oliveira to become the first among the 10 all-time multiple weight class titleholders to do it while undefeated. Alvarez has been nothing short of impressed by Topuria's rise, and he said he sees some of what McGregor had while he was at the top of his game. "Conor in his prime was almost like Ilia, like a really scary guy," Alvarez told MMA Junkie. "When he was in the gym and he didn't care about any other stuff and he was just fixated on fighting and wanting to beat the best guys. He's a scary human being and was one of the best fighters in the world. There's no denying that. "At that point of my career I was great. And look what he's done to me. I was coming off a great win with Rafael dos Anjos, arguably one of the greatest lightweights in the world at the time." Alvarez landed just 12 total trikes in a little more than eight minutes of fight time against McGregor. He went unsuccessful on three takedown attempts, which is also the number of times he was knocked down by "The Notorious." It was Alvarez's intention to show up that night at Madison Square Garden and thwart McGregor's bid at history. It didn't happen, and now he can be honest that everything from the preparation to the in-cage execution. Hindsight is a two-way street in a sport like MMA, though. It can lead to delusion and despair, or in the case of Alvarez, additional clarity and humility. "I probably would've boxed more in the lead up," Alvarez said. "I did a lot of boxing for the Justin Gaethje fight. I did a lot of boxing and it was one of my best performances when I did a lot of boxing with just pro boxers. I got out of the MMA gym and went down to Philly and got with pro boxers. My eyes were the best, my reactions were the best my timing, my punch volume. Everything got better. Probably would've boxed more in the preparation, and boxed less in the fight. "My eyes, my distance would've been sharper boxing-wise, but the idea was never to box. I feel like I just got caught early in the fight and I went stupid. What I did in the fight was nothing like what we did in the lead up and the preparation. Even in the fight I'm circling toward the left hand a ton, and that was like step one of day one, 'Let's go right mostly and wrestle and kick.' Instead I went left and I boxed. Sometimes you just get punched and go stupid in a fight and that's just how the cookie crumbles. It's a small margin for error when the guys are at the top of the game." To hear more from Alvarez, check out his complete appearance on "The Bohnfire" podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn above.
Scottish Sun
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Insane Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor stat emerges after UFC 317 as Spaniard makes history and eyes Paddy Pimblett
The stat is truly stunning CON TOP OF THE WORLD Insane Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor stat emerges after UFC 317 as Spaniard makes history and eyes Paddy Pimblett Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN insane Conor McGregor and Ilia Topuria stat has emerged following UFC 317. Mixed martial arts' premier promotion's annual International Fight Week card saw Georgian-born Spaniard Topuria crowned the new king of the lightweights. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Ilia Topuria brutally knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 to claim the lightweight title Credit: REUTERS 5 Topuria became only the tenth two-division champion in UFC history with his demolition of 'Do Bronx' Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK 5 An incredible stat about the Georgian-born Spaniard emerged after the biggest win of his career Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK Topuria, 28, bagged his second UFC title with a blistering first-round knockout of fan favourite Charles Oliveira. The emphatic victory, which he called, saw Topuria become only the tenth two-division champion in the promotion's history. It also saw him follow in the footsteps of McGregor by winning both the feather and lightweight belts. McGregor achieved the feat nearly NINE YEARS AGO at UFC 205, aged 28, four months and ten days old. READ MORE ON TOPURIA UFC 317 Topuria SHOVES Pimblett in heated face-off after brutal UFC 317 KO of Oliveira And incredibly, Topuria got his hands on the lightweight title aged 28, four months and 21 days old. McGregor has appeared to have kept a close eye on Topuria over the last year, so much so that he's entertained the prospect of taking on 'El Matador'. And 'The Notorious' sent the potential new face of the UFC a congratulatory message after seeing his latest title scalp. The Irishman wrote on X: 'Congrats on winning my old titles, Ilia! JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 5 Ilia Topuria was 11 days older than when he replicated Conor McGregor's feat of winning both the UFC feather and lightweight titles Credit: AP 'He said he's gonna rest his balls on Paddy's head too, haha, fair play. 'Good lightweight scrap that one is as well, in my opinion. UFC 317- Ilia Topuria SHOVES Paddy Pimblett in heated row after brutal first-round KO of Charles Oliveira to win LW belt "UFC is back? Or still missing something? "Three KOs back-to-back-to-back is very good. 'No one can deny the knockout. I like (the rose). 'Unlucky to Charles also. Styles make fights! You are a tremendous and legendary UFC fighter. Rest up' Topuria was involved in a heated post-fight octagon face-off with Brit Paddy Pimblett just moments after his destruction of Oliveira. The Georgian-born Spaniard SHOVED 'The Baddy' after a heated exchange, but security prevented them from engaging in a full-on brawl. 5 Ilia Topuria wants to his first defence of the lightweight title to be against Paddy Pimblett Credit: GETTY Their pair have bad blood dating back to 2021 and Topuria is itching to finally settle the score with the Liverpudlian. He said: "Yes, that's the fight that I want because with Charles it was a little bit of a difficult situation because I really like the guy. "He's a really great human being. You can't hate him. "You always see him surrounded by his family and friends and teammates. "He's an amazing human being, but in the end, I was like, 'This is competition. I have to do my job and that's it.' "But with Paddy, I'm really going to enjoy kicking his a**."
The Irish Sun
30-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Insane Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor stat emerges after UFC 317 as Spaniard makes history and eyes Paddy Pimblett
AN insane Conor McGregor and Ilia Topuria stat has emerged following UFC 317. Mixed martial arts' premier promotion's annual International Fight Week card saw Georgian-born Spaniard Topuria crowned the new king of the lightweights. Advertisement 5 Ilia Topuria brutally knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 to claim the lightweight title Credit: REUTERS 5 Topuria became only the tenth two-division champion in UFC history with his demolition of 'Do Bronx' Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK 5 An incredible stat about the Georgian-born Spaniard emerged after the biggest win of his career Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK Topuria, 28, bagged his second UFC title with a blistering first-round knockout of fan favourite The emphatic victory, which he called, saw Topuria become only the tenth two-division champion in the promotion's history . It also saw him follow in the footsteps of McGregor by winning both the feather and lightweight belts. McGregor achieved the feat nearly NINE YEARS AGO at UFC 205 , aged 28, four months and ten days old. Advertisement READ MORE ON TOPURIA And incredibly, Topuria got his hands on the lightweight title aged 28, four months and 21 days old. McGregor has appeared to have kept a close eye on Topuria over the last year, so much so that he's entertained the prospect of taking on 'El Matador'. And 'The Notorious' sent the potential new face of the UFC a congratulatory message after seeing his latest title scalp. The Irishman wrote on X: 'Congrats on winning my old titles, Ilia! Advertisement Most read in MMA JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 5 Ilia Topuria was 11 days older than when he replicated Conor McGregor's feat of winning both the UFC feather and lightweight titles Credit: AP 'He said he's gonna rest his balls on Paddy's head too, haha, fair play. 'Good lightweight scrap that one is as well, in my opinion . Advertisement UFC 317- Ilia Topuria SHOVES Paddy Pimblett in heated row after brutal first-round KO of Charles Oliveira to win LW belt "UFC is back? Or still missing something? "Three KOs back-to-back-to-back is very good. 'No one can deny the knockout. I like (the rose). 'Unlucky to Charles also. Styles make fights! You are a tremendous and legendary UFC fighter. Rest up' Advertisement Topuria was involved in a heated post-fight octagon face-off with Brit The Georgian-born Spaniard 5 Ilia Topuria wants to his first defence of the lightweight title to be against Paddy Pimblett Credit: GETTY Their pair have bad blood dating back to 2021 and Topuria is itching to finally settle the score with the Liverpudlian. Advertisement He said: "Yes, that's the fight that I want because with Charles it was a little bit of a difficult situation because I really like the guy. "He's a really great human being. You can't hate him. "You always see him surrounded by his family and friends and teammates. "He's an amazing human being, but in the end, I was like, 'This is competition. I have to do my job and that's it.' Advertisement "But with Paddy, I'm really going to enjoy kicking his a**."
Express Tribune
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Conor McGregor's decline from champ-champ to cokehead
Conor McGregor was once untouchable—now, his name sparks more controversy than knockout highlights. Few fighters have ever electrified the combat sports world like Conor McGregor. The Irishman didn't just fight—he made people care. He walked, talked, and fought like a king, rising from welfare checks in Dublin to two-division UFC glory. But today, when you hear his name, it's not knockout highlights that come to mind—it's lawsuits, meltdowns, and scandal after scandal. Conor McGregor, once the undisputed face of the UFC, has now left a disputed legacy on the sport he once owned. The Meteoric Rise: Conor McGregor's Takeover McGregor's journey from a broke plumber's apprentice to MMA's biggest star reads like a Hollywood script. He stormed into the UFC in 2013, decimating opponents with surgical precision and a left hand that could end careers. He wasn't just another fighter—he was a showman, a force of nature, and a human headline machine. In 2015, he vaporized featherweight kingpin José Aldo in 13 seconds, cementing himself as the face of the fight game. This, to this day, remains the fastest knockout in a UFC title fight ever. A year later, he moved up in weight, dismantled Eddie Alvarez, and became the UFC's first simultaneous two-division champion. The swagger, the suits, the trash talk—it all felt larger than life. His iconic line at UFC 205—'I'd like to take this chance to apologize... to absolutely nobody!'—became the battle cry of a new generation of fight fans. And then? Then it all started falling apart. The Turning Point: Money, Mayweather, and Madness McGregor's obsession with superstardom took him beyond the cage and into the boxing ring for a blockbuster showdown with Floyd Mayweather in 2017. The fight was a spectacle, a money-printing circus that netted McGregor over $100 million even in expected defeat. The media frenzy in the build-up to the fight brought a whole new audience to McGregor - and boy, did he hold them with the palm of his hand. But while his bank account soared, his hunger for MMA faded. When he returned to the UFC in 2018 to face undefeated grappling monster Khabib Nurmagomedov, he wasn't the same fighter. The lead-up to the fight was pure chaos—McGregor infamously hurled a metal dolly through a bus window in an attempt to confront Khabib, injuring multiple fighters and earning himself an arrest. The full incident, caught by UFC's cameras, painted McGregor in an increasingly unhinged picture. Inside the octagon, Khabib dismantled him, choking him out in the fourth round. What followed was an all-out brawl between both camps, a PR nightmare, and the first real crack in the McGregor empire. The Controversies: The Man Who Couldn't Stay Out of Trouble Since that loss, McGregor's rap sheet has become longer than his highlight reel. 2018: Assaults an elderly man in a Dublin pub for refusing a shot of his Proper Twelve whiskey. 2019: Arrested in Miami for smashing a fan's phone. 2021: Allegedly sucker-punches an Italian DJ in a nightclub. 2023: Accused of attacking a woman on his yacht in Spain. 2023: Sends an NBA mascot to the hospital with an ill-advised punch. Oh, and the sexual assault allegations? There have been multiple. From Dublin hotel accusations to Miami restroom claims, the headlines keep piling up. Some cases were dropped, others quietly settled. But the pattern is undeniable: McGregor the fighter has been overshadowed by McGregor the courtroom regular. The Decline: Losing Fights, Losing Fans McGregor's decline inside the cage has been just as dramatic. After knocking out Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds in 2020, he faced Dustin Poirier twice in 2021. The first fight? He got knocked out. The second? He snapped his leg in one of the most gruesome injuries in UFC history. Rather than showing humility, he raged from the floor, hurling threats at Poirier's family like a man unhinged. With each loss, McGregor's aura faded. His once-peerless fight IQ seemed dulled. The UFC moved on. The new generation of killers—Islam Makhachev, Charles Oliveira, and Alex Volkanovski—no longer see him as a king to be dethroned. He's an afterthought, a relic of a wilder era. Cocaine, Social Media Meltdowns, and the Final Nail in the Coffin? If his public outbursts weren't enough, McGregor's increasingly erratic behavior has fueled speculation of substance abuse. His bizarre, late-night social media rants, his glassy-eyed interviews, and his all-too-frequent bar fights scream of a man spiraling out of control. Reports of cocaine use swirl around him, and fans can't help but wonder: is this the same guy who once preached discipline and visualization? And let's not forget his never-ending parade of canceled fights. He was supposed to return against Michael Chandler in 2024. Didn't happen. The UFC moved on, the hype cooled, and fans started asking the real question: Does McGregor even matter anymore? It seems like these days McGregor is more interested in spitting on fans rather than giving them what they want; a Conor McGregor fight. The Verdict: Is There a Road to Redemption? Let's be real—McGregor could fight tomorrow and still sell a million pay-per-views. His name is currency, and his legend won't fully fade overnight. But his credibility? His standing as one of the greatest? That's in tatters. A triumphant return to the cage could restore some of the mystique, but the chances of him reclaiming UFC gold are slimmer than ever. And with each new scandal, the sport moves further away from him. MMA doesn't wait for anyone—not even the Notorious One. Conor McGregor was once the king of the fight game. Today, he's dangerously close to becoming just another cautionary tale of a man who had it all... and lost it.
