Retired professional mixed martial artist and boxer Conor McGregor is celebrating his 32nd birthday today on July 14. On this occasion, check out some lesser-known facts about him.

Conor McGregor is an Irish retired professional mixed martial artist and boxer who currently ranks at the number 8 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings and #4 in the UFC lightweight rankings. Conor McGregor rose from a tough neighborhood to become the biggest star in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). After joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 2013, “The Notorious” unified the featherweight division with his title win in 2015, and the following year he became a two-division champion by winning the lightweight title.

Also Read :Top 5 Fights Of “Conor McGregor’s” Career

His name continues to shine on in the sports industry and has captured many headlines with his patronizing speeches, bravado and indisputable fighting ability. The superstar athlete has a loyal fan base that’s grown since his entry into the ring due to his charismatic punches and his fighting spectacles.

Conor Anthony McGregor was born to parents Tony and Margaret McGregor on July 14, 1988, in Dublin, Ireland. Raised in the rough working-class section of Crumlin, McGregor enjoyed playing soccer as a boy before finding an outlet for his aggression in boxing. In his later teen years, McGregor began training in the still little-known sport of mixed martial arts, under John Kavanagh. He also found a job as an apprentice plumber but elected to forego the profession, over his parents’ objections, to pursue his dream of becoming a professional fighter.

On 17 February 2007, at the age of 18, McGregor made his mixed martial arts debut in an amateur fight against Kieran Campbell for the Irish Ring of Truth promotion in Dublin. Following the fight, he turned professional and was signed by the Irish Cage of Truth promotion. In 2008, McGregor began training at the Straight Blast Gym (SBG) in Dublin under John Kavanagh.

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On 9 March 2008, McGregor had his first professional MMA bout, as a lightweight, defeating Gary Morris with a second-round TKO. During 2011 and 2012, McGregor went on an eight-fight winning streak,[26] during which he won both the CWFC Featherweight and Lightweight championships, making him the first European professional mixed martial artist to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously.

In February 2013, UFC president Dana White made a trip to Dublin, Ireland to receive a Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage from Trinity College and was inundated with requests to sign McGregor to the UFC. After a meeting with McGregor, and talking with UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, White offered him a contract days later. In February 2013, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced that they had signed McGregor to a multi-fight contract.

On 6 April 2013, McGregor made his UFC debut against Marcus Brimage at UFC on Fuel TV: Mousasi vs. Latifi. McGregor won the fight in round one. The win also earned McGregor his first “Knockout of the Night” award. He continued his winning ways through July 2015, when he defeated Chad Mendes for the interim featherweight title. That December, he knocked out Jose Aldo in a record 13 seconds to unify the featherweight title. Delivering impressive performance, McGregor scoring a second-round TKO against Eddie Alvarez in November 2016, simultaneously became the UFC’s lightweight as well as the featherweight champion.

However, McGregor’s relationship with the UFC became strained when his inactivity in the octagon prompted its president to strip the fighter of his featherweight and lightweight titles by early 2018. McGregor made his long-awaited return in October 2018, nearly two years after his last UFC fight, to challenge the new lightweight champ, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Right after Nurmagomedov’s fourth-round win, the two sides erupted in a post-match brawl, resulting in a six-month suspension for McGregor. On March 26, 2019, McGregor announced via Twitter that he was retiring from the sport that made him famous, concluding his MMA career with a record of 21 wins and four losses. However, later in the year the fighter confirmed that he intended to make a comeback in January 2020.

McGregor’s return was a success, as he finished off American Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone with a 40-second TKO — the second-fastest win of his career, and his first victory in more than three years.

Also Read :Conor McGregor’s coach and Eddie Alvarez became advisor of Mike Perry

McGregor stands 5’9″ and has a 74″ reach, measurements that usually give him an advantage in his matches. McGregor has trained in a variety of disciplines, including Capoeira, Tae Kwon Do and Karate, and holds a brown belt with the grappling techniques of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. However, he is primarily known for his pure punching power, specifically for a left hook that has sent numerous opponents to the mat.

Thought the notorious MMA might have retired from the game, here are 7 facts that give something to his fans on the even if his birthday.

1

Despite his fame, has remained loyal to his team of friends and trainers from back when he was still learning the tricks of the trade. McGregor has also spoken about his coach John Kavanagh who’s been training him since the fighter’s boxing debut. He often gives speeches at schools about his own experience with being bullied as a child and how it was these episodes that initially got him into boxing.

2

The former UFC champion is known to challenge himself by choosing fights despite the opponent’s weight class. He has, therefore, fought from Featherweight to Welterweight in the UFC which marks a 25-pound range.

3

Is a humanitarian and does not shy away from being about his support to the LGBTQ community and Gay Rights.

4

The Irish boxer holds a historic achievement to become the first UFC fighter to hold two championship titles in two different weight classes at the same time. Though a first for UFC, McGregor holds a similar record under Europe’s most competitive organization, the Cage Warriors.

5

One of his career-defining signature trends is to win the fight by knockout in the first round. His shortest knockout was against Patrick Doherty in 2011 when he won the fight in just 4 seconds.

6

Before his shot to fame, McGregor was learning the technique of plumbing and was even working as a plumber apprentice. However, he soon realised that his passion lies in boxing and left his position to pursue it full time.

7

Conor is indeed a family man and has been in a long term relationship with his girlfriend since 2008. The couple has two adorable kids together. He was even heard saying that his wife has been his number one fan and supported since day one.