IRISH MIXED MARTIAL arts fighter Conor McGregor has been named as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.
The UFC star was listed as a ‘Pioneer’, with movie star and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger writing an entry about his influence.
The Dublin native shot to fame over the past few years in the UFC. His string of high-profile victories and brash, cocky out-of-ring style cementing his reputation early on as one of the best.
He is currently the UFC’s reigning lightweight champion, and may soon fight boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather in a high-profile upcoming bout.
Speaking on the entry on Time’s 100 most influential people in the world, Schwarzenegger said:
“Conor McGregor is more than a fighter, more than an athlete, more than a champion—although, as the first person in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship to hold titles in two weight divisions at once, he is clearly all of those things.
Conor is also the rare personality who has become bigger than his sport. That lean, compact body must struggle to keep his enormous character inside.
From the first time I met Conor, I knew he wasn’t the type of star you could box into one category. Since I’ve gotten to know him, I can tell you that what you see on the screen—the now familiar face of mixed martial arts—just scratches the surface.
The Dublin native is razor-sharp, disciplined and charismatic. His energy is absolutely contagious, to the point where you almost start shouting in an Irish accent after 30 seconds of hearing that world-famous mouth.
Conor has a fire in his belly that can’t be quenched with championship belts. There are no brakes that can stop his engine.
Other entries on the list were entered under the headings of ‘Titans’, ‘Artists’, ‘Leaders’ and ‘Icons’.
Notable people included author Margaret Atwood, Basketball star LeBron James, musician Alicia Keys and Ivanka Trump.
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