Flashback: Relive Conor McGregor’s First UFC Knockout
It’s no secret that UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor is the biggest star in MMA these days. Even though he’s currently chasing his long-rumored boxing super fight with Floyd Mayweather, “The Notorious” has undoubtedly changed the face of MMA since debuting with the promotion.
After all, the Irish megastar is the only UFC competitor to hold two titles in two weight classes simultaneously, a feat he accomplished by dominating former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez via second-round TKO in the main event of last November’s UFC 205. McGregor has won nine of his 10 fights in the octagon, finishing his opponent in eight of those, with his only decision win coming against Nate Diaz in a record-setting rematch to avenge his only UFC loss at last August’s UFC 202.
Things are obviously beyond great for “The Notorious” right now, as he holds the balance of the MMA world in his hands. But it wasn’t always like that, however, as the former plumber was once on welfare and considering whether or not he should even continue his MMA career at one point. That all changed when he made what turned out to be a historic UFC debut at UFC on Fuel 9 against TUF veteran Marcus Brimage back in April 2013.
History – although it wasn’t known at the time – would be made when McGregor finished off Brimage with shocking ease, using his pinpoint power striking to send “The Bama Beast” packing only 1:07 into the first round. It would turn out to be one of if not the most pivotal debuts in MMA history.
“”The Notorious” would go on to face current UFC interim featherweight champion Max Holloway, who will face champion Jose Aldo in the main event of this weekend’s UFC 212 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in his next bout, winning a one-sided unanimous decision but tearing his ACL in the process.
When he returned almost a year later, history was about to made when McGregor reeled off consecutive KO wins over Diego Brandao, Dustin Poirier, and Dennis Siver to lock up a title shot versus then-champion Jose Aldo at July 2015’s UFC 189. Aldo was forced out with a rib injury following an exhausting 10-city world tour to promote the fight, but McGregor secured his first UFC belt nonetheless when he met former title challenger Chad Mendes on the massive card.
From there, McGregor finally faced rival Aldo at UFC 194, knocking out the dominant longtime champion with a jaw-dropping shot in 13 seconds. The win cemented his status as MMA’s biggest star (perhaps alongside then-women’s bantamweight queen Ronda Rousey), and he attempted to make more history when he was booked against former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in his next bout.
When “RDA” pulled out with a foot injury, even more history was made when McGregor faced late replacement Nate Diaz at March 2016’s UFC 196, losing his first UFC bout by submission in a massive upset. But the loss re-motivated McGregor to avenge the defeat, which he did at the aforementioned UFC 202 last summer.
The rest is history, they say, as McGregor stopped Alvarez to win his second title and now stands as the UFC’s most important star – even if his next fight will transpire in a boxing ring.
And it all started with his knockout of Brimage. Relive his historic debut knockout here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxAazK9mGio
