Conor McGregor now has two titles after beating Eddie Alvarez in the second round for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 12, 2016. Credit: Jeffrey Basinger
Few rose to stardom in the UFC faster than Conor McGregor. He has fought in three different weight classes, won titles in two of them and talked his way into millions of dollars and a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather.
On Oct. 6, 2018, McGregor, a former UFC lightweight champion, will face the reigning champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 for the title. That fight will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Here's a look at McGregor's fight history in the UFC so far.
Conor McGregor vs. Marcus Brimage
UFC on Fuel TV 9, April 6, 2013, at Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden
McGregor made his UFC debut on the prelims. And it initially streamed on Facebook in the U.S. Hard to imagine now, isn't it? But every fighter starts somewhere. McGregor didn't disappoint, stopping Brimage in 67 seconds and earning a knockout of the night bonus.
Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway
UFC Fight Night, Aug. 17, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston
McGregor moved up in stature to a televised prelim and dominated Holloway in a matchup of two future featherweight champions. The judges scored it 30-27, 30-27, 30-26. McGregor tore his ACL in the bout and would be sidelined for close to a year.
Conor McGregor vs. Diego Brandao
UFC Fight Night, July 19, 2014, at The O2 in Dublin, Ireland
This could be the fight that put McGregor over with fans across the world. He headlined the card in his hometown. He predicted a first-round stoppage and he delivered one with 55 seconds to spare. In his post-fight interview inside the octagon, McGregor delivered one of his first memorable quotes: "We're not here to take part, we're here to take over." The win would kick off a run of eight straight post-fight bonuses for McGregor.
Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier
Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier Credit: AP/John Locher
UFC 178, Sept. 27, 2014, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
Another first-round knockout prediction by McGregor, another first-round knockout by McGregor. Fighting on his first UFC pay-per-view card, McGregor won in 1:46. "You can call me 'Mystic Mac' because I predict these things," McGregor said afterward.
Conor McGregor vs. Dennis Siver Credit: AP/Gregory Payan
UFC Fight Night, Jan. 18, 2015, at TD Garden in Boston
In the fight that would lead to McGregor's first featherweight title fight, the Irishman stopped Siver at 1:54 of the second round. McGregor took down Siver and landed hard overhand lefts to the head, causing the referee to stop the bout.
UFC 189, July 11, 2015, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
McGregor was supposed to challenge Jose Aldo for his featherweight title on this night, marking the culmination of a much-hyped bout complete with a world tour and a new approach to UFC commercials for fights. Aldo pulled out of the fight with an injury, and Chad Mendes stepped in on less than three weeks' notice for what became an interim title fight. Mendes, a wrestler, had McGregor on his back for a while, but McGregor's hands eventually changed the course of the bout. McGregor stopped Mendes with three seconds left in the second round to win his first UFC title.
Conor McGregor, left, follows through on the knockout shot against Jose Aldo 13 seconds into the first round of their featherweight title bout UFC 194 in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 12, 2015. Credit: Jeffrey Basinger
UFC 194, Dec. 12, 2015, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
For all the talk and posturing leading into this fight for Aldo's featherweight title -- and there was plenty of it -- McGregor fulfilled his promise. And he needed just one punch to do it. Aldo rushed in and got off a shot, but McGregor dropped him with a left. As Aldo fell face first to the mat, McGregor got off two more hammer fists before referee John McCarthy stopped the fight 13 seconds into the first round, the fastest knockout in UFC championship history.
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz at UFC 196. Credit: Getty Images/Rey Del Rio
UFC 196, March 5, 2016 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
McGregor was supposed to face Rafael Dos Anjos for his lightweight title. Dos Anjos pulled out with an injury, and on 11 days' notice, Nate Diaz stepped in to fight McGregor in a welterweight bout. McGregor battered Diaz for much of the first two rounds until Diaz was able to submit McGregor with 48 seconds left in the second round for the monumental upset.
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz at UFC 202. Credit: Isaac Brekken
UFC 202, Aug. 20, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
McGregor remained at welterweight for this rematch. He evened the rivalry at one win apiece with a majority decision in an action-filled fight. Two of the judges scored it 48-47 for McGregor, and the other had it 47-47.
Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez Credit: Jeffrey Basinger
UFC 205, Nov. 12, 2016 at Madison Square Garden
McGregor won the lightweight title from Alvarez, becoming the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two different weight classes at the same time. It was a left hand that delivered the final blow, just as it did so many of the significant strikes landed by McGregor on the night. Alvarez never had much of a chance to mount an attack as each time he came at McGregor with a big right hand, McGregor slipped and countered with a left midway through the second round.
McGregor submitted to a choke from Nurmagomedov in the fourth round, then the fun really started. The promotional build-up for this fight saw McGregor get deeply personal with his verbal attacks. After Nurmagomedov submitted McGregor, he jumped over the octagon and went after McGregor's cornerman, Dillon Danis, while two of Nurmagomedov's teammates then got into the octagon and attacked McGregor. The melee led to suspensions for all fighters involved.
McGregor returned to the Octagon for the first time in more than a year when he faced Cerrone in the welterweight main event in Las Vegas. It didn't take very long for him to get back to form. McGregor needed just 40 seconds to get by Cerrone, utlizing shoulder strikes in the clinch before a head kick sent 'Cowboy' to the canvas. McGregor followed up with punches to secure the victory.
McGregor returned to the Octagon for the first time in more than a year -- again -- and faced Dustin Poirier in a rematch of a 2014 featherweight bout won by McGregor. This one ended differently, as McGregor was stopped by TKO for the first time in his career. Poirier hurt McGregor with calf kicks in the first and second round, and ended the fight with a series of strikes punctuated by a short right hand that toppled McGregor and led to the stoppage at 2:32 of the second round.
The build-up to this fight turned ugly, the fight ended ugly and the moments and days after the fight were ugly. McGregor cut into Poirier with his personal verbal attacks against him and his family leading up to the fight. But as the first round came to an end, it was McGregor sitting on the canvas with his lower leg broken. McGregor snapped it when he threw a low leg kick and could not continue after the bell rang at the end of the first round, giving Poirier the TKO win. Poirier had dominated McGregor for most of the first round before the injury, with two judges scoring the round 10-8.
