Eight years ago today, Conor McGregor made his first appearance under the UFC’s lights.
McGregor (22-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) stepped in the octagon for the very first time on April 6, 2013 in the preliminary card of UFC on FUEL TV 9. The Irishman competed in a featherweight matchup against Marcus Brimage. McGregor won the fight in impressive fashion, stopping his opponent in a little over a minute and winning a $60,000 bonus for “Knockout of the Night.”
The win would kick off a historic run for McGregor, where he claimed both the UFC featherweight and lightweight title to become the first to ever hold two UFC titles simultaneously. He also became a global superstar and brought many eyeballs to MMA in the process.
Now, eight years later after debuting with the UFC, McGregor is facing the toughest patch of his UFC run, coming off a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier earlier this year at UFC 257 which put him at 3-3 on his last six performances. Looking back at his journey through the sport, “The Notorious” vows to go back on the ways that got him to become a UFC champion, as he’s looking close out the trilogy with Poirier this summer at UFC 264.
Eight years ago today, McGregor debuted in the UFC
Today in 2013 I weighed in for my UFC debut. What a journey! It would become my 12th KO in MMA competition. Dustin Poirier would then become my 12th first round KO in MMA competition.
This next fight will be my 12th UFC main event.
Rare company!
Proper Twelve baby! All day!— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 5, 2021
Eat, train, sleep
My ufc debut I found out 9 weeks out. I took a week to get right from not training/partying, and then 8 weeks out I moved to my sisters apt which was close to the gym. I woke up, trained, walked back to apartment, ate my meals and rested, trained again, back to apt, sleep, repeat
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 5, 2021
He’s turning back the clock
Double skills work. I also didn’t take rest days unless I absolutely had to. Not one. Not even a Sunday.
I will take this approach again for my comeback fight.
I didn’t become ufc champ champ with this method but I did become ufc 145 champion. Also the cage warrior champ champ.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 5, 2021