The biggest name in the history of Irish MMA and the sport's most popular representative of all time, the influence of Conor McGregor In his native country, his influence can be perceived in various ways. Besides having inspired athletes of the new generation such as... Ian GaryThe Notorious is also a source of pride for many who worked with him, such as Phil Sutcliffe, the former two-time champion's first coach. He spoke about the subject during his appearance on Countdown. UFC 329, shown this Sunday (5).
According to the coach, who has already joined McGregor's team to help him in recent fights, his pupil has a fame and influence within the sport that can be compared to the legendary Muhammad Ali, three-time world heavyweight boxing champion between the 60s and 70s.
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“Conor’s mother and father brought him here, a little blond boy. He started punching the bag with his bare knuckles. The following week, he wanted to join, and the story goes from there. He’s the Muhammad Ali of mixed martial arts, you know what I mean? He’s famous everywhere,” he declared.
Conor McGregor's first coach called him the Muhammad Ali of MMA because of his global superstardom.
"Conor's mother and father brought him down, a little blond kid. He started punching the bag with his bare knuckles. The following week, he wanted to join, and the story goes from… pic.twitter.com/m7ZBhQaDtH
— FREAK.MMA (@FREAKMMA1) July 5, 2026
The comparison has been made many times over the years. Like McGregor, Ali became very popular in his prime not only because of his skills in the ring, but also because of his irreverent style and trash talk never before seen. However, The Notorious always showed himself to be a fan and avoided any comparison.
“Muhammad Ali is a very special individual. I don’t even come close to the greatness of that man. For the things he accomplished throughout his career… he is a special individual, and having my name associated with his is, in fact, a source of pride for me. Thank you very much, but I can’t compare myself to that great man,” McGregor said in an interview with Megan Olivi in 2018.
Conor McGregor returns to the octagon next Saturday.
Conor McGregor (left) returns to the UFC against Max Holloway (dir.). Photo: Montage/SL
After five years away from MMA competition, the Irishman returns to action in the main event of UFC 329when measuring forces with Max Holloway In a duel valid for the welterweight category (up to 77,1 kg). The two faced each other for the first time in 2013, when they were still young prospects in the featherweight category (up to 65,7 kg). On that occasion, the Notorious one emerged victorious by unanimous decision.
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