Conor McGregor has not been active much over the last few years of his Ultimate Fighting Championship career. In fact, he has only fought four times in the last six years, highlighting just how inactive he has been and to his own detriment.

McGregor last fought in the UFC at UFC 264, where he fought top lightweight contender Dustin Poirier. This fight marked the conclusion of his trilogy with Poirier but unfortunately for McGregor, the fight ended in dramatic fashion when he suffered a leg break at the end of the first round, leading to a stoppage and a TKO victory for “The Diamond”. 

Conor McGregor's Rise To The Featherweight Title

Conor McGregor punches Jose Aldo//Getty Images

Born in Dublin, Ireland, McGregor began his career as a plumber’s apprentice while pursuing his passion for MMA. His early success in Cage Warriors back in 2012 where he won both the promotions featherweight and lightweight titles caught the UFC's attention.

McGregor made his UFC debut in April 2013 against Marcus Brimage, winning by knockout in just over a minute. His personality and knockout power instantly made him a fan favourite in the United States, and of course he was a huge hit already with his beloved fans from Ireland.

“The Notorious” was very vocal about his ambitions to become a UFC champion early on in his UFC career and he made bold predictions often backing them up inside the octagon. This led to him being nicknamed “Mystic Mac” by many fans.

McGregor’s second fight in the UFC came against Max Holloway and the Irishman had to showcase another side of him. Although he injured his knee during the bout, McGregor adapted in the fight earning a unanimous decision victory.

However, it was his third fight, against Diego Brandao, in his hometown of Dublin that truly elevated McGregor’s profile. Fighting in front of a passionate Irish crowd, McGregor delivered a first-round TKO, catapulting himself into stardom.

One of the defining moments of McGregor's rise in 2015 came when he faced the American Chad Mendes for the interim UFC featherweight title. Despite being taken down and controlled by the elite wrestler Mendes for much of the fight, McGregor remained composed and eventually secured a TKO victory in the second round, setting up a unification bout with thr then-featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

McGregor's fight against Aldo at UFC 194, in December 2015, is perhaps his most iconic moment in the UFC, and maybe one of the most iconic moments in the history of the sport.

Aldo had been undefeated for nearly a decade and was widely considered one of the greatest fighters in MMA history at that point in time. However, McGregor knocked Aldo out in just 13 seconds with a perfectly timed left hook which saw him claim the UFC featherweight belt and solidified his status as a superstar.

Conor McGregor punches Jose Aldo//Getty Images

Breaking Out To Superstardom 

Conor McGregor celebrating//Getty Images

The Irishman wasn’t satisfied with just one belt. He sought to become the first fighter in UFC history to hold two titles simultaneously. In November 2016, he challenged then-lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden, New York.

McGregor dominated the fight, winning by second-round TKO and making history as the first UFC double champion.

In 2017, McGregor made headlines again by stepping away from MMA to face boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in a highly lucrative boxing match.

Though McGregor lost via TKO in the tenth round, the fight shattered pay-per-view records and further elevated McGregor’s profile globally, making him one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.

Following the Mayweather fight, McGregor returned to the UFC in October 2018 to face then-lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229. In what became the biggest fight in UFC history due to the rivalry feeling surrounding it, McGregor lost by submission in the fourth round. The bout’s aftermath was marred by a brawl which led to fines and suspensions for both fighters.

Conor McGregor celebrating//Getty Images

Is Conor McGregor's UFC Career Finished?

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor//Getty Images

McGregor’s UFC journey after the Khabib fight has been a mix of inactivity and setbacks. In January 2020, he returned to action defeating Donald Cerrone at welterweight in just 40 seconds with a head kick at UFC 246. This win reignited hopes of another title run, but McGregor’s trilogy against Dustin Poirier in 2021 did not go as planned. He lost their second bout by TKO at UFC 257 and suffered a devastating leg injury in their third fight at UFC 264, putting his career on hold for an extended period.

Since completing rehabilitation for his injury and getting back into training, the UFC have been trying to put on Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler for the fans. After competing against each other as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter season 31, they were due to fight in the summer of 2024 but a foot injury saw McGregor pull out of the fight a couple of weeks beforehand. And there appears to be no urgency to reschedule this bout from McGregor’s side, sparking rumours that he may be done completely with fighting in the UFC.

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor//Getty Images