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Conor McGregor made a winning return to the UFC on Saturday night when he stopped Donald Cerrone in the first-round of their UFC 246 headline bout.
It took the Irishman just forty seconds to stop Cerrone and extend his professional mixed martial arts record to 22-4.
McGregor flew out of the blocks and immediately threw his overhand left – which Cerrone caught leading to a grapple in the centre of the Octagon.
But McGregor quickly landed four shoulder blows to Cerrone’s chin, which he then followed up with a devastating head kick.
Cerrone fell, and the bout was stopped within the first minute when McGregor began raining down punches.
Show all 28 1 /28Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated McGregor's fights ranked and rated After McGregor’s long-awaited return to the UFC Octagon against Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, we rank and rate every single one of the Irishman’s professional fights so far.
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Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated L: Floyd Mayweather, TKO (10), August 2017 Okay: so as a boxing bout, this shouldn’t technically count, but we have included it for the sake of completion. McGregor actually started reasonably promisingly against one of the greatest boxers to have lived. But he was, frankly, an amateur fighting against a mastermind and was made to look exceptionally sloppy before being stopped in the tenth round. It was never going to end any differently.
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Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated L: Khabib Nurmagomedov, Submission (4), October 2018 Without a doubt, the most emphatic defeat of McGregor’s career. And, for once, the trash talking did not work for him. Instead it served only to rile Khabib, who started the fight at a thunderous pace and won every single round. McGregor’s ground defence was impressive in places but – damningly – he never really stood a chance.
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Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated L: Artemij Sitenkov, Submission (1), June 2008 The first defeat of McGregor’s professional career came by the way of submission – something that manifested itself as a weakness of his over the years. Long-term trainer John Kavanagh later revealed that the disappointment was so crushing McGregor came exceptionally close to quitting the sport.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated L: Joseph Duffy, Submission, November 2010 Another submission defeat in his early years: this time by way of arm-triangle choke. But there was less shame in losing to compatriot Duffy, who was significantly more experienced than McGregor and went on to enjoy a successful UFC career of his own.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated L: Nate Diaz, Submission, March 2016 A thrilling fight which saw McGregor jump up 15lbs in weight and Diaz take the fight on just ten days’ notice. McGregor dominated the first round but struggled to maintain his pace at a higher weight and noticeably gassed in the second. That presented Diaz with the chance to win the fight via rear-naked choke in the second round – securing one of the biggest upset victories in UFC history.
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Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Gary Morris, TKO (2), March 2008 The first victory of McGregor’s career – at the Trinity Sports and Leisure Centre in Dublin – did not offer much indication that the Irishman was going to go on to become one of the most famous sportspeople in the world. McGregor eventually won the ugly, scrappy fight with his trademark left hand in the second round. It wouldn’t be the last time the shot would bring him victory.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Stephen Bailey, TKO, December 2008 McGregor bounced back from his first career defeat with a lightning-quick win over Bailey in Dublin, who would go on to have only one more fight before quitting the sport.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Connor Dillon, TKO (1), October 2010 After a year-long absence from the sport, McGregor returned to MMA with a tune-up against Dillon in Derry, who had a losing record. Yet an understandably off the pace McGregor needed an uncharacteristically long 4:22 to register his fourth career victory, with Dillon’s corner throwing in the towel.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Hugh Brady, TKO (1), February 2011 McGregor’s first victory after losing to Duffy, which came by way of knockout two-and-a-half minutes into the opening round. Fairly impressive considering that Brady was more than your average tune-up: he entered the bout with a 4-1 professional record and had never before been knocked out.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Mo Taylor, TKO (1), May 2008 The second victory of McGregor’s career deserves real praise as the Irishman came incredibly close to losing it in the first round, when Taylor so nearly locked in an arm bar. But McGregor was able to defend it and got back on his feet to finish the fight with a barrage of punches.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Steve O'Keefe, KO, February 2012 McGregor’s second victory fighting for the Cage Warriors promotion – and his first in England. It was just the second defeat of O’Keefe’s career – snapping his impressive six-fight win streak, which included a submission victory over McGregor’s friend and training partner, Artem Lobov.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Aaron Jahnsen, TKO (1), September 2011 Another first round knockout victory as McGregor’s career began gaining momentum. Interestingly, Jahnsen later followed in McGregor’s footsteps by making his professional boxing debut in February 2018.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Artur Sowinski, TKO (2), June 2011 An impressive victory early into McGregor’s career considering that Sowinski would go on to enjoy a long and relatively successful MMA career, fighting for various different European promotions. The Pole last fought in December 2019 and currently boasts a 20-11 professional record.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Dave Hill, Submission (2), June 2012 The first – and to date only – submission victory of McGregor’s career. His ground game is often overlooked but he won his 13th professional fight by rear-naked choke – the very same move that would later cost him his first clash with Diaz.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Mike Wood, KO (1), March 2011 One of the best fights of McGregor’s early career. It took him just 16 seconds to knock out Wood in Dublin – only three seconds later than he needed to stop Aldo in Las Vegas and win the UFC lightweight world title.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Paddy Doherty, KO (1), April 2011 ... but … but McGregor’s 16-second win over Wood looks positively epic when compared to his ridiculous four-second destruction of Doherty. The fighters touched gloves, Wood looked to attack, and in came the left hand that was to make McGregor his multimillions.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Ivan Buchinger, KO (1), December 2012 Easily McGregor’s finest win outside of the UFC. In his final Cage Warriors bout, McGregor knocked out Buchinger to become a two-weight world champion within the promotion – something he would repeat in the UFC. McGregor was tweeting about the fight the other day, when a fan asked for the name of an usual kick he had utilised early into the first round. “I titled this shot ‘Flatley’. In honour of Ireland’s famed Riverdance,” he replied. “A little bang of the Flatley to tear the medial ligaments of the inside knee joint. Tasty.”
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Dennis Siver, TKO (2), January 2015 Experienced veteran Siver was arguably the easiest opponent McGregor has ever faced in the Octagon and the Irishman duly dominated every second of the seven-minute bout.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Nate Diaz, MD, August 2016 One of the best fights in UFC history. And a fantastic performance from McGregor – for two-and-a-half rounds at least. After a breathtakingly bold start he faded late on as Diaz’s superior cardiovascular fitness began to show, and was perhaps a little lucky to be awarded the decision victory.
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Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Diego Brandão, TKO (1), July 2014 A night better remembered for the raucous UFC: Dublin atmosphere than the fight itself. One of McGregor’s more routine victories: another opening round knockout.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Max Holloway, UD, August 2013 One of McGregor’s bravest victories. He dominated the first round against future featherweight champion Holloway, only to tear his ACL in the second. And so he took the fight to the ground – securing a decision victory ahead of a year-long absence.
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Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Marcus Brimage, TKO (1), April 2013 McGregor made his Octagon debut against the dangerous ‘Ultimate Fighter 14’ winner Brimage. He ran through him like yet another Cage Warriors opponent. McGregor knocked him out in just 70 seconds and afterwards memorably pestered Dana White for “60 Gs baby!”
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Dustin Poirier, TKO (1), September 2014 A huge step-up in competition and yet the same end result. The build-up was incredibly acrimonious and yet McGregor did not take long to make his mark, detonating his trusty left hand less than two minutes into the fight.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Chad Mendes, TKO (2), July 2015 Undoubtedly the most entertaining fight of his career. Mendes was desperate to take the fight to the ground and floored McGregor three times in the first round. He so nearly submitted McGregor in the second – only for the injury-plagued Irishman to fight to his feet and stop him with three seconds left in the round.
Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Eddie Alvarez, TKO (2), November 2016 Arguably the most assured performance of his career. Completely dismantled Alvarez to become a two-weight world champion. The only surprised was it took him two rounds to stop his opponent.
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Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Donald Cerrone, KO (1), January 2020 It may only have lasted 40 seconds – but McGregor packed plenty into this stunning performance. His vastly improved takedown defence, the aggressive and unorthodox shoulders in the clinch, the head kick, the flying knee and a clinical ground and pound … this was a total demolition of one of the UFC’s most experienced campaigners. Ladies and gentlemen: McGregor is back.
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Conor McGregor's fights ranked and rated W: Jose Aldo, KO (1), December 2015 A victory that will likely never be surpassed. After months of unrelenting build-up, McGregor made good on his word and then some. 13 seconds was all it took him to floor Aldo and become the UFC featherweight champion of the world.
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It was McGregor’s first fight in the UFC since October 2018, when he was submitted by Khabib Nurmagomedov in their bad-tempered lightweight title fight.
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