If you were to interview people at random in the street, chances are, not all of them will know what MMA is. Some might get it confused with the UFC (an organization), while others might not even know about it at all. However, one thing can be said – more people will recognize the name “Conor McGregor” than they recognize the sport of MMA. With a name bigger than his sport itself, Conor McGregor boasts incredible stardom, making him not only a prominent figure in the world of mixed martial arts but also a global icon transcending the boundaries of his sport.
Conor McGregor’s incredible stardom couldn’t be supported without exceptional MMA skills. Known for his elusive and unique stance, quick in-and-out bouncing footwork, and exceptional timing, he was one of the most powerful (and the most accurate) puncher in the history of lower-weight divisions. He stands out as one of the best strikers in MMA history during his prime as well. A southpaw with an impressive reach of 188cm, he effectively controls the distance against opponents, limiting their movements. His main tactical approach involves pressuring opponents with stable long-range strikes from outside their reach, countering those who attempt rushed attacks. He possesses a powerful and precise left straight, capable of delivering early-round knockouts. With a precision-focused striking style, he records high accuracy in most of his MMA bouts, with masterful timing of his left straight, hook, or uppercut.
McGregor’s striking prowess, especially in boxing, is widely acknowledged as one of the best in UFC history. His excellent boxing allowed him to have powerful crosses, formidable hooks, and clean uppercuts, all with relatively fast hand speed and incredible accuracy. Although he does not use his right hand jab that much, he constantly employs hand control to maximize his reach advantage and lands jabs to set his attacks up whenever it is necessary. He utilizes His background in boxing, combined with a distinct movement style and unorthodox striking techniques, has allowed him to stand out in the octagon. McGregor’s boxing skills were prominently showcased in his highly anticipated bout against Floyd Mayweather, where he demonstrated respectable boxing ability despite the ultimate outcome.
Even in advantageous situations, McGregor tends to provoke and engage in trash talk rather than fixating on finishing the fight. This can be seen as a strategic approach to set up the left counter.
His utilization of kicks, including hook kicks, side kicks, and oblique kicks, is extensive. McGregor’s striking is rooted in boxing, incorporating karate kicks, and he has also incorporated kicks from taekwondo and capoeira. While many fighters at his gym, SBG Ireland, emphasize grappling training with a BJJ+wrestling base, McGregor’s focus on standing strikes stems from his extensive pre-MMA training in boxing. He is known to have a very diverse striking arsenal, considering that he utilizes a karate stance in most of his fights and has cross-trained in ITF Taekwondo as well.
McGregor often employs a diverse range of sudden and accurate kicks, serving as effective deterrents but not necessarily producing knockouts due to structural limitations and reduced weight transfer. His style is distinguished by its emphasis on maintaining a distance advantage and countering opponents, especially those attempting to rush in.
In his prime, McGregor effectively utilized his long reach to gain an edge in distance fighting within the weight class. His winning pattern involved leveraging his extended reach to force opponents into a southpaw stance, subsequently pressuring them with oblique kicks, side kicks, spinning back kicks, and push kicks to control the pace. McGregor would induce opponents to throw a rear hand with an overreaction, allowing him to capitalize on his long reach with a sharp left straight. His unique southpaw striking style was unparalleled, inspiring numerous imitations.
McGregor’s signature moves include slipping opponent punches and countering with a left hook or lead uppercut, followed by a hook-style left counter. McGregor’s long reach makes it challenging for opponents to defend even from a distance. His rear hand uppercut, known as the “Bolo Punch,” is particularly threatening.
Despite misconceptions about his endurance, McGregor’s stamina is more of a strength than a weakness. Some might perceive his impact in certain scenes as a weakness due to the exaggerated impact, but McGregor, like many other fighters adopting a no-guard style, possesses excellent evasion skills and robust endurance. Even after absorbing powerful strikes, he demonstrates resilience, using his strong chin and endurance to counter effectively. In the fight against Khabib, despite taking significant counters, McGregor maintained his composure, showing resilience and attempting to counter with knee kicks, highlighting his innate durability.
There were some instances where McGregor’s durability was questioned, particularly referencing the clean one-two he received from Nate Diaz. However, it’s essential to analyze the context of the situation. McGregor moved up to welterweight from featherweight abruptly, facing a larger and longer opponent. In this scenario, he couldn’t establish sufficient distance control, leading to a precise counter at the end of the striking range. The damage inflicted was inevitable given the circumstances. Nate Diaz’s durability is often underrated, but in reality, many of Diaz’s submission victories come after first stunning opponents with strikes, putting the opponent on shaking feet. McGregor’s ability to endure and counter, even after absorbing numerous strikes without significant damage, challenges the notion of weak durability.
The most significant weakness is McGregor’s stamina. In the rematch against In the rematch against Diaz, McGregor visibly weakened as the rounds progressed. In the Mayweather fight, his movement decreased from the fourth round, and by the eighth round, standing became challenging, resulting in a TKO loss. Compared to lightweight fighters like Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov, who possess excellent stamina, McGregor’s endurance seems inadequate.
Another drawback is McGregor’s ground and clinch work. While he demonstrated top-tier striking abilities and managed to win the interim title against Chad Mendes, he struggled against smaller opponents until staging a striking comeback. McGregor displayed competent leg drags and passes in his Cage Warriors Fighting Championship (CWFC) days, and his momentary defense against takedowns is relatively quick. However, when these fail, McGregor often appears helpless on the ground. After giving up top position to Diaz, he immediately allowed the back and succumbed to a choke. In the Joseph Duffy fight, McGregor failed a guillotine choke, leading to an over-under pass and a submission defeat. McGregor’s quick sense might be effective momentarily, but his lack of versatility on the ground becomes apparent when his initial counter fails.
Despite grappling weaknesses in terms of stamina, endurance, and submission defense, McGregor’s ground game should not be underrated. His dominant performances against BJJ black belt Diego Brandao, well-rounded fighter Max Holloway, and grappling specialist Dave Hill showcase effective top pressure control, guard passing, and his excellent anti-grappling tactics. According to MMA analyst BJJ Scout, McGregor’s unique ability to counter grappling feints with his striking, using his long reach to prevent opponents from closing the distance, and accurately landing counters with his powerful rear hand, distinguishes him from many strikers who often fall prey to grapplers’ feints. The effectiveness of McGregor’s anti-grappling strategy is evident when compared to other striking-based fighters who struggle against grappling specialists. McGregor’s ability to counter takedowns and control distance effectively sets him apart in the realm of striking-focused fighters.
While it is undisputed that McGregor is an exceptional striker, he does have some weaknesses in the striking department. McGregor’s stance, primarily focused on forcing orthodox opponents to expose their lead hand and countering with the rear hand, can be a vulnerability when facing southpaw opponents. In such cases, McGregor is susceptible to jabs coming from the opponent’s lead hand. Additionally, McGregor employs a karate-style stance with a wide stance and looking to the side, similar to Lyoto Machida. As demonstrated by Machida’s vulnerabilities to leg kicks, this stance can leave McGregor exposed to leg kicks. However, McGregor’s adept use of leg kicks and his ability to overcome skilled strikers like Aldo and Thompson, who exploit such stances, shows that McGregor’s success depends on the individual’s skills and strategies.
In summary, McGregor’s pre-fight promotion, characterized by intense trash-talking, aims to mentally dominate and provoke opponents. Once in the Octagon, McGregor establishes control in the center with his long and fast southpaw strikes, overwhelming his opponents with a strategic combination of striking and movement. He pressures the opponent using his diverse range of kicks and long jabs. His effective tactics involve forcing the opponent to react impulsively, allowing McGregor to capitalize on openings with powerful counter strikes, especially the left hand counter.
StrikeSaga 
Leave a comment