Proud father Conor McGregor shows off 1-year-old son’s ‘karate stance’

UFC superstar Conor McGregor shares the image of his son doing his trademark karate stance from the prime McGregor years.

Proud father Conor McGregor shows off 1-year-old son’s ‘karate stance’

Conor McGregor compares his stance with his son's (via Imago/X)

Conor McGregor has not stepped inside the UFC octagon for more than three years now, causing much anticipation in the MMA community. The ‘Notorious’, however, continues to make headlines almost daily, mostly for his wild antics, bold statements, and frequent controversies outside of fighting. Apart from that, McGregor is a true family man and often spends a lot of precious time with his kids.

McGregor’s prime years have long gone, but his dominating run during his early years remains unforgettable. Recently, the former champion shared a picture of his son and hilariously compared it with his karate stance. Along with that, he had a message for Ireland’s future in MMA, which caught the attention of many fans. 

Mack McGregor. Karate stance. Southpaw. The future of Ireland is bright! God as our witness! 

Conor McGregor via X 

McGregor’s early karate stance gave him superb balance, distance management, and unpredictable angles that confused and overwhelmed many opponents quickly. He stood light on his lead leg, bouncing in and out like karate greats such as Lyoto Machida and Stephen Thompson. Against Chad Mendes, McGregor’s stance allowed him to feint effectively, drawing reactions before exploding forward with sharp, accurate punches. 

When he fought Dustin Poirier in 2014, his wide stance helped him slip punches and counter devastatingly well. Similarly, it helped him against many incredible strikers, ultimately earning the first ever double champion status in the UFC. However, with time the ‘Mystic Mac’ abandoned his karate stance to a more boxing focused technique which led to his downfall. 

It started back in 2017, when McGregor shifted to a heavy boxing style to prepare for the Floyd Mayweather fight. The lucrative Mayweather fight motivated McGregor to prioritize boxing fundamentals, but it ultimately diminished his unique MMA striking advantage. His movement became slower and more predictable, making him easier to hit and reducing his ability to counter effectively. 

UFC veteran talks about Conor McGregor’s striking prowess 

Conor McGregor’s lethal striking, especially his sniper-like left hand, became his trademark weapon that many fighters openly feared and respected. Eddie Alvarez admitted McGregor’s left hand felt like getting hit with a rocket, overwhelmed completely during their 2016 lightweight title fight. Jose Aldo was famously knocked out cold in thirteen seconds, charging into a perfectly timed left counter from McGregor’s stance.

Conor McGregor's lethal counter striking
Conor McGregor’s lethal counter striking (via X)

Dustin Poirier also acknowledged McGregor’s early power, saying his precision and speed made him extremely dangerous in the first round. However, the ‘Notorious’ struggled with cardio which impacted his performance in the later rounds. But many, including veteran commentator Joe Rogan, were more impressed by McGregor’s counter striking abilities. 

If you fight in that style against Conor. You are coming straight forward towards Conor, that is Conor’s wheelhouse. Conor’s one of the greatest counter strikers that ever fought in the UFC. If you look at his fight with Eddie Alvarez. You look at his knockout victory over Jose Aldo. If you come at Conor and if you give him a chance to time you, especially in the early rounds, he’s f***** lethal.

Joe Rogan via JRE 

After adopting a boxing-heavy stance, McGregor lost his sharpness and began losing fights, weakening his once-feared aura significantly. His devastating submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018 shattered much of his confidence and exposed clear holes in his approach. McGregor’s most recent octagon appearance ended terribly, snapping his leg against Poirier and raising serious doubts about his future.

While many fans are desperate to see him back inside the octagon, McGregor’s latest antics have shown no such signs. He is more interested in starting his political career and becoming the next president of Ireland.