Conor McGregor Was “Ahead of his time” But Never Coming Back, According to UFC Champion
Reigning UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski sang the praises of UFC legend and former king of his own division, The Notorious Conor McGregor.
The champion was sitting down for an interview when he was asked which fighter from the modern era he wished he had the opportunity to share the Octagon with. His answer was none other than McGregor.
Volkanovski admitted that it might be a “boring answer,” but he explained why he believed the fight would have made sense, saying:
“He was in the Featherweight division, and he’s an absolute superstar. Just the position you can put yourself in just fighting that guy.”
He was referring to the wealth—not just financial, but in terms of global following – that comes with a Conor McGregor fight.
Volk was then asked what makes Conor such a great fighter. The champion responded:
“He was a great fighter. He was actually even a bit ahead of his time. He was really good. I don’t think people give him credit. He was sharp—and all of that’s gone now. He’s gonna be reasonably sharp, but he’s never gonna be that same Conor McGregor.”
The Irish Icon: McGregor’s Historic Run and Enduring Influence
Conor McGregor brought more eyes to MMA than any fighter in history. He is a global superstar – an Irish madman who, under unimaginable pressure and carrying the pride of an entire nation on his back, thrived.
Conor always put on memorial performances. Most famously, after recording the fastest knockout in UFC title fight history – a 13-second finish of Hall of Famer and featherweight king José Aldo – McGregor moved up to the lightweight division. There, he knocked out then-champion Eddie Alvarez, “The Underground King,” to become the first simultaneous two-division champion in the promotion’s history.
With viral soundbites and charismatic shot-calling, the sport had never seen anything quite like Conor McGregor. Though his reign as Featherweight champion was brief, it’s no surprise that today’s titleholders continue to hold the Irishman in such high regard.
