Return of the Mac: What legacy does McGregor leave behind?
By Finlay Easton
Figure 1- What is McGregor’s legacy?
Conor McGregor will make his return to the octagon at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on July 11th. McGregor will face former Featherweight Champion Max Holloway in a 5-round welterweight bout that headlines the UFC’s International Fight Week card. The fight is a rematch of their featherweight clash that took place in 2013, which saw McGregor win via unanimous decision. The 37-year-old Irishman hasn’t fought since his defeat to Dustin Poirier in 2021, a fight that saw McGregor suffer a devastating leg break that ultimately ended the bout.
Throughout McGregor’s five-year hiatus from MMA, he has frequently made headlines for his activities outside the octagon. At one point in time, it seemed like McGregor had the entire country of Ireland behind him, with the Irish fans following him all over the world to show support, transforming cities into seas of green. McGregor was a symbol of Irish sporting success, but his reputation has been tainted by civil lawsuits, a failed political campaign, slurred-speech interviews and a brief stint in Hollywood. In many people’s eyes, McGregor has become more notorious for his controversial and often inexcusable behaviour outside the octagon than his accomplishments within it. This begs the question, what legacy does McGregor leave behind?
McGregor’s Climb to Stardom
Conor McGregor’s rise to UFC stardom captivated the imagination of viewers beyond MMA’s traditional fanbase. From his witty trash talk and highlight-reel knockouts playing a pivotal role in exposing the sport of MMA to a mainstream audience he transformed the UFC into a multibillion-dollar company. Fans worldwide admired McGregor’s road to the top, from being a broke kid working on a building site, to becoming the biggest star in the UFC. Before making his debut in the UFC, McGregor had bulldozed through the competition at Cage Warriors, becoming the promotions first double champion, securing titles in the featherweight and lightweight divisions. The hype surrounding McGregor was immense, eventually catching the attention of UFC boss Dana White after fans encouraged him to sign the Cage Warriors prospect. In an interview with Tomi Lahren, Dana White recalled his first time going to dinner with McGregor after signing him, explaining that he made a phone call to the UFC’s then-CEO Lorenzo Fertitta immediately after, saying “I don’t know if this guy can fight, but if he can throw a punch, this guy is gonna be the biggest star ever.”
This statement would eventually ring true, as McGregor would embark on a seven-fight win streak within the UFC, where he would defeat renowned names such as Max Holloway, Diago Brandao, Dustin Poirier, Chad Mendes and Jose Aldo, whom he finished within 13 seconds to clinch the UFC featherweight title. Throughout his fights, McGregor’s strongest weapon would be mental warfare, where he would relentlessly trash talk his opponents during press conferences, interviews and back-stage interactions, constantly attempting to get under his opponents’ skin, giving him the advantage when it came to fight night. This approach was not only effective inside the cage but was equally instrumental in growing McGregor’s brand worldwide. Videos and interviews of McGregor taunting his opponents would generate millions of views online, propelling McGregor and the UFC into the mainstream. Out of the UFC’s top ten highest-selling PPV events in history, 8 out of 10 are headlined by Conor McGregor, reflecting his ability to connect with fans worldwide.
McGregor would go on to clinch a second UFC world title in the lightweight division, defeating Eddie Alvarez in devastating fashion. This victory for McGregor would set up a super fight with boxing mogul Floyd Mayweather Jr, a bout that would go on to generate the second highest amount of domestic PPV buys ever recorded. Despite losing the contest, McGregor earnt himself an estimated $130 million. This fight is often regarded as the turning point in Conor McGregor’s career, coinciding with the beginning of McGregor’s long list of legal troubles.
Figure 2- McGregor exiting court during Nikita Hand’s civil case against him.
McGregor’s Behaviour Outside the Octagon
In recent years, McGregor’s sporting accomplishments have been stained by his conduct outside the cage, being involved in numerous legal and personal controversies spanning from 2018 to 2024 that have turned him into a polarising figure within the MMA community and broader public sphere.
In 2023, a woman filed a lawsuit against Conor McGregor, accusing him of sexually assaulting her in a bathroom after an NBA Finals game on June 9th, 2023, in the Kaseya Center, Miami. The lawsuit also highlighted an earlier incident that occurred during the same day, involving McGregor punching the Miami Heat mascot during a half-time skit, resulting in the mascot being hospitalised. However, in October 2023, the Florida State Attorney’s office declined to pursue criminal charges, concluding that there was “no case to pursue.” This is just one incident in a growing list of allegations involving violent or criminal conduct against Conor McGregor. In November 2024, an Irish civil jury ruled that McGregor was liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in December 2018. McGregor was ordered to pay £206,000 in damages plus Hand’s legal costs. McGregor would go on to appeal the decision, that he would eventually lose in July 2025.
Perhaps McGregor’s most spotlighted incident is the Barclays Center bus attack that occurred in April 2018, where McGregor and his entourage attacked a bus filled with UFC fighters following a media event at the Barclays Center in New York. McGregor was filmed throwing a hand dolly through the window of a bus, causing glass to shatter everywhere, injuring several UFC fighters on board, causing some to withdraw from their upcoming fights. The target of the attack was lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who had confronted McGregor’s teammate Artem Lobov earlier in the week. As a result of the attack, McGregor was charged with three counts of misdemeanour and one count of felony criminal mischief. The UFC faced backlash following the incident in light of using footage of the attack to promote the title fight between McGregor and Nurmagomedov, a fight that Conor would lose via submission.
Lead Up to McGregor’s Return
It would be silly to say that McGregor’s return to MMA hasn’t come without its disputes. In the lead up to his rematch with Max Holloway, McGregor has made various appearances across different talk shows to promote his upcoming bout, including The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, who has received widespread criticism for giving McGregor a platform in light of his various sexual assault allegations. Despite McGregor’s recent legal issues being largely overlooked during these interviews, he has shown moments of reflection on his behaviour outside the octagon. “I went through some treatment, I done a lot of self-reflective work on myself. Internal work and it was outside of this bubble that we find ourselves now when I return to the fight game.” McGregor explains that he still finds himself battling his old patterns, but states that “I’m a different person. I’ve put in work.”
Will this new focus on self-improvement help McGregor heal the fractured relationship with his fans? Or will McGregor’s legacy be defined by his criminal conduct?
