Top 5 Conor McGregor Moments

Since first gracing the UFC octagon in 2013, Conor McGregor has risen to prominence in the sport of MMA, thanks to both his sublime performances and even more entertaining antics outside of the cage.

The Irishman is now one of the most famous faces on the planet, and not just in sport, despite being virtually an unknown fighter just a matter of years ago in his native homeland.

McGregor's achievements in the UFC have been nothing short of impressive, from building his reputation up with quick-fire knockouts of top challengers to sparking out world champions in a matter of seconds and shattering the organization's high-profile pay-per-view records.

Along with the incredible feats in the UFC, there have been plenty of controversial moments in his own time outside of the octagon, too, with McGregor having become a hugely polarising athlete and figure in the world of sport and celebrity culture.

Whether or not you like him, there's no denying his massive presence on a large scale worldwide due to his UFC success and dubious decisions outside of it.

With there being so many memorable moments from his fast and furious career and life, there are plenty to look back on for pure entertainment, even if they are highly controversial.

So, here are five of the best moments so far from the Crumlin native's time in the spotlight, both inside the cage and outside of it.

5. Floyd Mayweather Press Tour, July 2017

The sporting world reacted with a huge outcry and eyebrows were raised back in 2017 after the announcement of a boxing match between UFC's Conor McGregor and five-division boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.

There had been a verbal back and forth between the pair for some time, stretching back well over a year, and despite Mayweather being retired, he was clearly keen to land what would be a paycheck too good to turn down. He is the money man, after all!

So, in August 2017, the two men from different combat sports bizarrely met in the squared circle for what was undoubtedly a cash-grab bout. It was Mayweather that prevailed in the clear mismatch with a tenth-round stoppage success. 'Money' reportedly pocketed well over $100 million, as McGregor earned over $30 million for his troubles.

But it was the build-up to the bout that was even more entertaining, with McGregor being at his absolute best in front of the cameras across several huge cities worldwide, including Toronto and London. A war of words with Mayweather, donning a fur coat on a red-carpet stage, stealing his opponent's bag of money and entertaining thousands of fans in attendance proved that he is the biggest entertainer in combat sports.

4. Bus Attack Incident, April 2018

While this may not be McGregor's finest moment, it was undoubtedly one of his most highly controversial and outlandish.

After bitter rival Khabib Nurmagomedov confronted McGregor's close friend and training partner Artem Lobov during a UFC event, the Irishman and his team rushed to America to confront the Russian grappler.

The Dubliner and many of his team barged into the backstage area during UFC 223's media day and attempted to get at Khabib, who was on the bus full of fighters.

At the Barclays Center, McGregor launched several objects at the bus, which resulted in a number of injuries, and a warrant was soon sent out for his arrest. The violent stunt cost him thousands, including the $50,000 bail, and he came away with five days of community service along with having to attend anger management classes.

McGregor and Khabib later met in the octagon, where the Irishman was unable to conquer the Russian wrestler, being submitted in a one-sided defeat before a crazy ringside brawl broke out. There could be a rematch on the horizon, which would spark even more trouble.

3. Rematch Success Over Nate Diaz, August 2016

Next, we go over to what made McGregor the esteemed athlete he is today – his actual performances inside the octagon.

One of his most memorable bouts came in the rematch against long-standing rival Nate Diaz in August 2016.

After tasting the first UFC defeat of his career to the American in dramatic fashion, McGregor battled back to gain his revenge in what was a pulsating five-round war in Las Vegas in their second scuffle.

'The Notorious' came out as the victor with a majority decision triumph in what was surely the most exciting clash of his career to date. Trilogy, anyone?

2. Beating Eddie Alvarez To Become 'Champ Champ', November 2016

McGregor's career has been full to the brim of incredible moments and there were few as great as his historic victory over Eddie Alvarez.

At Madison Square Garden, the first-ever UFC event to be held in New York City, the Irishman rallied to a hugely impressive feat of becoming the first fighter in the organization to hold titles in two different weight classes simultaneously.

Adding the lightweight belt to his featherweight crown, McGregor stopped Alvarez in devastating fashion in two rounds to see himself reign as the 'double champ' in front of a stunned crowd in the Big Apple.

1. Beating Jose Aldo In 13 Seconds, December 2015

McGregor has not been seen in the cage since his sickening defeat at the hands of bitter rival Khabib, and it's unclear whether we will ever witness him enter the octagon again after earning so much money already in his career.

If he was to retire anytime soon, there is one particular moment that would always stand out from the rest as his crowning legacy fight for sure.

That's the remarkable 13-second KO of Jose Aldo back in December 2015. The Dubliner had pushed Aldo's buttons for months and clearly got under his skin during a mammoth worldwide press tour beforehand, but he also backed up all his talking and previous predictions of an early finish.

The fans had only just got ready for the fight to start before it came to a sudden finish, with McGregor landing a trademark left hand right on Aldo's chin then dropping the hammer fist to end proceedings in a matter of seconds. An incredible sporting moment that will live long in UFC history.