Irish megastar Conor McGregor has taken one more step toward fulfilling the goal he had set for himself nearly a decade ago.
Making his UFC debut in 2013, McGregor took the mixed martial arts world by storm with his brash attitude and the ability to back it up inside the Octagon. Landing a spot on the roster during the infamous Fuel TV days, ‘The Notorious’ ran through the competition, earning wins over some pretty impressive names including Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier, and Chad Mendes en route to his first shot at UFC gold.
Stepping into the main event at UFC 194, Conor McGregor shocked the world, scoring a 13-second knockout against Jose Aldo to capture the featherweight world title. Overnight, McGregor went from standout to superstar and took one giant step toward achieving a series of goals he had set for himself years prior.
Upon entering the promotion, Conor McGregor made a pretty ambitious bucket list. “I just want two gold belts, a jiu-jitsu black belt, a hall of fame plaque and 25 million in the bank,” McGregor wrote on Twitter. “Is that too much to ask?”
A decade later, Conor McGregor is a former two-division world, having claimed the lightweight title from ex-champion Eddie Alvarez less than a year after his highlight-reel-worthy knockout against Jose Aldo.
Recently, McGregor checked another achievement off his last, revealing that he had received his BJJ black belt after 20 years in the sport.
“Received my black belt tonight from my coach, friend, and mentor, @coach_kavanagh of @sbgireland! 20 years of hard work,” McGregor wrote on Instagram. Thank you, John, for everything over the years, and to all of my teammates throughout this incredible jiu jitsu journey! Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart! A Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt, wow! Praise be to God and then Helio. I’ll be in the Gi in it tomorrow Helio, I promise, and I cannot wait!!”
Black Belt
@SBG_Ireland pic.twitter.com/8nU0Z79yna
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 5, 2023
Conor McGregor Just Needs His Hall of Fame Plaque
With two UFC world titles on his resume, a BJJ black belt, and a net worth estimated to be over $200 million, Conor McGregor only has one task left for his original tweet to come full circle. He just needs that UFC Hall of Fame plaque.
It’s safe to say that once the Irishman hangs up his gloves for good, he will undoubtedly be a first-ballot HOF’er. Until then, McGregor still has plenty of unfinished business in the sport and has every intention of coming back and padding his legacy a little more.