Conor McGregor is still one of the greatest fighters in MMA history

Contrary to the ludicrous claims by Jai Bednall from News.com.au, Conor McGregor is not a fraud.

Dustin Poirier stunned MMA fans with a knockout victory over Conor McGregor in the second round at UFC 257 on Sunday. The Diamond had a clear plan that caught the Irishman off guard, and as good a striker Poirier is, he took McGregor down within the first few minutes of the opening round.

The victory means Poirier avenges his loss to McGregor in 2014, which also ended with a brutal knockout. This was also the very first time Conor had been knocked out in his entire MMA career, putting Dustin in the same conversation with Floyd Mayweather, who also finished McGregor in their boxing bout.

The fight’s biggest talking point was Conor’s inability to properly check any of Poirier’s calf kicks, which ultimately set up the finish. The Irishman left the arena limping with the assist of a crutch and falls to 22-5 in his illustrious MMA career with three losses in his last six fights.

It’s important to understand the calibre of fighter Poirier is. Dustin has a stacked resume, and as evidenced yesterday, he has the talent to back it up. Since falling to McGregor in 2014, the American moved up to Lightweight and has only lost twice in his last 14 fights, with losses to Michael Johnson and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

News.com.au posted an opinion piece from Jai Bednall today declaring that McGregor’s career was a “con job”. These ignorant claims bypass the history of both fighters, and most importantly, how the combat sport of MMA works. The GOAT conversation involves only two fighters, Jon Jones and Khabib Nurmagomedov, in no way is this an attempt to include McGregor. However, Bednall asks and answers this question,

“But one of the sport’s greatest fighters? No. No matter how many times he tries to tell us he is.”

There is absolutely no discussion over the fact that McGregor is one of the greatest fighters MMA has seen. The records that McGregor holds speak for themself, most notably being the first UFC fighter to hold two belts simultaneously and having the quickest knockout in a championship fight with his victory over Jose Aldo at UFC 194.

Being ‘great’ is not just about how dominant you are as a fighter, it’s what you do for your sport and the impact you made. The logic used by Bednall thus means fighters like Anderson Silva and Daniel Cormier are not ‘great’, and we all know that they are.

Anderson Silva and Daniel Cormier both impacted the sport and the UFC as an organisation. McGregor is absolutely in this category, just like former foe Jose Aldo. What each of these four fighters has in common is that they are not undefeated, Silva ended his career only winning one fight in eight matchups, and Cormier finished his distinguished career with two straight losses to Stipe Miocic in title fights. Yes, these defeats affect one’s claim for greatness, but to discount their success because of these results is fundamentally wrong.

Records in Boxing and MMA are totally different; that is why Khabib and Jones are the two fighters vying to be the GOAT. Nurmagomedov sits at 29-0, and Jon Jones only has 1 loss from a disqualification in a fight he dominated from start to finish. With all the politics surrounding the sport of boxing, in MMA, there is little to no competition between organisations, meaning the best fighters usually meet each other fairly quickly. This means remaining undefeated during a career or even going on a winning streak is challenging.

There are categories when it comes to greatness, and to say McGregor isn’t “great” is fallacious. Just like how Michael Jordan changed the face of the NBA, Conor transformed the UFC forever. When it comes to fighter salaries, McGregor is at the forefront. Through his pre-fight antics and his ability to finish opponents with his precise striking, he gathered much-needed attention for the sport leading to broadcast deals and sponsorships. This is the very reason UFC President Dana White has always supported Conor, and while the former two-weight world champion has suffered defeat yet again, the success he experienced since coming into the UFC is precisely why he must be considered one of the greatest MMA fighters.

There is no facade when it comes to McGregor. Every up-and-down has been televised for everyone to see, and he has delivered on almost every promise. While it may come across as arrogant, to be great, you must have that very attitude. 

The loss to Poirier gives us two indications, the first being that Conor may be past his prime and the second being that Dustin is a ruthless competitor. McGregor is steadfast on returning to the octagon as soon as possible, and staying active is his best medicine, so a fight with Tony Ferguson is the best matchup for both fans and each fighter, respectively.

For Dustin, the opportunities are endless. The uncertainty involving Khabib could cause troubles for the lightweight division, and if he decides to remain retired, then Poirier absolutely deserves the title. A meeting with Charles Oliveira would be perfect and would be a good indication of who will take the reigns off Nurmagomedov. 

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