The takeover is complete; on the 9^th October 2014, history was made as a huge banner displaying an image of UFC Featherweight contender and Irish patron Conor McGregor was displayed on Dublin’s famed “O’Connell Street”.

The significance of this event is staggering. London is known for Soho. New York is known for Fifth Avenue. Dublin is known for O’Connell Street. And yet most people still consider mixed martial arts a largely underground sport. In Ireland however, the reach of the UFC has came leaps and bounds as a result of one man and one man only; “The Notorious” Conor McGregor. RTE channel “3e” has become the official Irish platform for Conor’s most recent UFC fights, much to the delight of Irish fight fans that get to view these events for free. Furthermore, the UFC is delighted to keep the freebies coming, with McGregor and the UFC signing a deal to broadcast his next fight on 3e (free of charge, of course). TV3 Group Head of Sport Kieran Holden commented on this, saying “(McGregor’s last fight) reached a massive 600,000 viewers, proving how quickly Mixed Martial Arts has grown in Ireland. Conor McGregor has quickly become one of the biggest names in Irish sport and we are thrilled to be able to show his next fight to the free-to-air viewers in Ireland.”

And yet, there’s a level of mystique and allure to the attraction that is, Conor McGregor. How did this happen? How did McGregor single handedly galvanise an entire country into viewing a sport favourably? And furthermore, how did McGregor provoke pre-existing UFC fans into “believing the hype” and following the fighter so relentlessly? For a start, there’s no question that the guys got talent, and his accolades speak for themselves. He was crowned an Irish amateur boxing champion at a young age, and was Cage Warriors first and only two-division champion. Partner that with the fact that he’s got a 16-2 MMA record, with 14 of his wins coming by way of knockout. It’s worth noting that his 2 loses came quite early in his career, and he’s evidentially improved dramatically since then.

But to suggest his talent for fighting is the only reason behind his native nation’s interest in the fighter (and the sport) would be ridiculous. McGregor is blessed with what’s known by many as “the gift of the gab”. His speeches are incredible. He hypes fights with a passion like no other. His poetic linguistics often hypnotises viewers into watching his fights. To summarise, he creates interest through what he says and how he says it. And let’s not get it twisted. This isn’t completely unheard of. It’s been done before. Muhammad Ali did it. Prince Naseem Hamed did it. Chael Sonnen did it. Floyd Mayweather continues to do it. Talking gets people into the tent. People tune into McGregor’s fights for two conflicting reasons; either they want to see the cocky, brash, Irish dude get his head knocked off his shoulders OR they want to see him triumph with a level of flair and confidence rarely seen in fighting.

There’s entertainment value to his words. There’s also entertainment value to his style of fighting. His managing of distance on the feet, as well as his crisp punching and acrobatic kicks are an enigma. He fights with the mentality that he has to finish his opponent, to the delight of his fans. And what’s amazing about McGregor, is that he usually does. You can’t tie down the reasoning behind McGregor’s meteoric rise in the UFC to one action or event. He’s a multifaceted character that appeals to an entire nation, and provokes dialogue from an entire sport. What’s most interesting about Conor McGregor though, is that he’s just getting started. At 26 years old, he’s ranked number 5 in official UFC Featherweight rankings, and seems to be posturing strongly for a title shot. He’s got everyone talking, including UFC President Dana White, who recently said: “If you go down the list (of UFC Featherweights), every one of those guys has fought Jose Aldo already. Conor hasn’t. So who do you line up next for the champ other than Conor?” He’s become Ireland’s most interesting man in less that 3 years, and continues to grow in popularity. And with whispers of the Aviva Stadium being mentioned as the venue for his next fight, it’s worth paying attention to how the next few months play out.