UFC 189 was indeed the Conor McGregor show.
Since its UFC existence, the featherweight division has remained in the peripheral of casual MMA fans. People may have heard about some guy named Jose Aldo competing in the weight class, but there was nothing extraordinary happening at 145 pounds to urge fans to see for themselves.
Aldo, a UFC champion and the greatest featherweight of all time, failed to get people to buy in. But he wasn’t alone. Nearly every champion and top contender there has failed to reach superstar status. UFC Hall of Famer B.J. Penn and women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey have generally been the only exceptions.
For a long time, we often pondered whether size played a significant role in fans not being drawn to the lighter weight classes, despite two of the most recognized professional boxers in the world, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, being sub-155 pounds.
But then McGregor arrived.
The exceptionally talented Irishman with a sharp tongue and expensive suits elevated himself to superstardom in two years. After only five fights in the UFC, he was already staring at a title shot against Aldo in one of the most heavily-promoted bouts in UFC history. It was a whirlwind of a ride for the 26-year-old McGregor, who carried the weight of the UFC and Ireland on his back heading into UFC 189.
In the absence of Jon Jones, Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre, McGregor became the most reliable horse in the stable. He had a special aura about him that commanded attention every time he picked up a microphone. Television show interviews, ESPN appearances and a world tour—The UFC gambled on McGregor being able to deliver the goods. And he delivered emphatically.
Beams of green light shot through the darkened arena at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday night, as legendary music artist Sinead O’Connor did a live performance for McGregor’s entrance. It was a chilling moment that will stand the test of time in MMA. Never before has anything ever been witnessed on such a grand scale in the UFC.
Few human beings will ever feel the kind of pressure McGregor felt that night. An injury forced Aldo to pull out of the fight, and the UFC’s backup plan was an interim title fight with top featherweight contender Chad Mendes, a world-class wrestler whose only losses had come to Aldo. Mendes was the type of style opponent who could have unraveled everything.
But through it all, McGregor entered with the same swagger and confidence that expedited his rise to the top.
Even when he was taken down by Mendes and elbowed repeatedly, the Irish star never showed any cracks. According to Mendes at the post-fight press conference, McGregor’s response to the elbows during the fight was, “Is that all you got?”
McGregor eventually scrambled his way back to his feet, where he was able to impose his will on Mendes. A flicker of a jab and a hard left hand in the second round finally sent Mendes stumbling to the canvas. As McGregor casually strolled over to put the finishing touches on his handiwork, thousands in the arena celebrated the realization of a dream. Brought to tears, McGregor fell to his knees, forever humbled by the moment.
At the post-fight press conference, he put into perspective everything he’s sacrificed to get to this point:
“It overwhelmed me and I came to tears. It has been a hell of a ride, just over two years I’m here. I’ve already broke every single record in the game, and it does not come easy. Trust me when I tell you there’s a lot of work involved.
It’s not just about showing up at the gym. It’s not just about that. There’s a lot involved. I’ve been home 19 days this year, and I’ve been constantly working, constantly promoting, constantly handling my media obligations, as well as keeping on top of my weight, as well as keeping on top of my skill level, as well as managing niggling injuries. It’s a crazy game, and you know—I absolutely love it.”
Go home, champ. You’ve earned it.
Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He also is the MMA writer for FanRag Sports and co-founder of The MMA Bros.
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