If you asked most Irish people their opinion on mixed martial arts in 2025, you’d more than likely hear a take on Conor McGregor’s presidential bid rather than anything specific about the sport.
A decade ago, ahead of his featherweight title challenge, every publication in the country carried stories of McGregor’s successes. The national broadcaster RTÉ had released a popular documentary following the Dubliner as he ascended through the ranks, and in December 2016 he was awarded with its prestigious “Sportsperson of the Year” honor.
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Five months later, Portuguese fighter Joao Carvalho died after competing in a mixed martial arts bout in Dublin, leading many national publications to call for a ban on the sport. Following his boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather, McGregor found himself embroiled in a long series of controversies, none more publicized than his civil court sexual assault case, which he lost in November last year and plans to appeal.
Conor McGregor turned the Irish public onto MMA and the UFC in a big way, but has spent more time in court and in the tabloids in recent years. (REUTERS/Christian Bruna)
(Pool via REUTERS / Reuters)
With a controversial figure like McGregor still the main frame of reference for the sport across the island, and with performances on the world stage failing to garner the eyeballs they had during the golden era a decade ago, MMA has been struggling to rejoin the national conversation here for some time.
However, with Ian Machado Garry being granted an opportunity to reignite his welterweight title bid this weekend in his first UFC main event clash against Carlos Prates, and with Paul Hughes on the verge of a sold-out homecoming at Belfast’s SSE Arena in May, can the Irish move on from McGregor and let the sport be something other than the subtext of every polarizing headline involving the former UFC double champion?
Resurgence
Ian Machado Garry nearly shocked top UFC welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov and emerged from the loss with the respect of many fans. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
(Chris Unger via Getty Images)
Garry and Hughes have arguably earned more respect through their recent losses than any of their previous wins. Garry put on a valiant display against the UFC’s welterweight boogeyman, Shavkat Rakhmonov, and Hughes came painstakingly close to handing undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov his first loss in January.
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Both men had credited McGregor as their inspiration after making it to the world stage, but when McGregor questioned Hughes’ Irish identity following a respectful exchange with McGregor’s old rival Khabib Nurmagomedov, the outpouring of home support for the Derry man catapulted him into the national zeitgeist and made the PFL fighter the subject of more media attention than ever.
To add to that, the Irish have started 2025 undefeated in the Octagon with three wins in three UFC outings.
In London, Tyrone’s Caolan Loughran took a razor-close win in his clash with Next Generation prospect Nathan Fletcher. Shortly after that, at the same event, Shauna Bannon was dropped by a head kick before she secured an armbar on Puja Tomar, which led to her receiving a Performance of the Night bonus. Rhys McKee’s quest for a UFC win had become akin to Rory McIlroy’s pursuit of The Masters, but on his fifth attempt last month, the beloved former Cage Warriors and BAMMA champion put on a signature display to earn a bonus-winning stoppage.
And it’s not only Hughes who is enjoying success outside of the UFC. Moving on from his failed drug test in 2023, Will Fleury has become a double champ with Oktagon. James Sheehan has claimed the Cage Warriors welterweight title previously held by Garry and will defend it on a Dublin marquee the same day Garry takes on Prates. The card also boasts a light heavyweight title defense from James Webb, a protege of Chris Fields, plus a supporting cast that highlights the new wave of talent on the island.
Mainstream
Paul Hughes (right) has emerged as an exciting potential future face of Irish MMA with his recent success in the PFL. (REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed)
(REUTERS / Reuters)
I remember Paddy Holohan being chased down Harcourt Street by adoring fans in the early hours of July 20, 2014, having kicked off the now legendary UFC Dublin event the previous day. I recall a jam-packed bar, The Living Room, just off O’Connell street, with throngs of people trying to find the best vantage point to watch Cathal Pendred vs. Augusto Montano in Mexico City at UFC 188.
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I often think of McGregor, Pendred and John Kavanagh all appearing on “The Late Late,” Ireland’s longest running television program, and what felt like the nation’s insatiable pursuit of knowledge about MMA. I won’t forget the late nights filing daily reports for national newspapers in the lead-up to bouts starring athletes the country has already forgotten, or the text messages from my uncles weighing in on bouts that appeared to be a part of the national consciousness.
Perhaps it was the high-water mark of Irish interest in the sport, but there are still hopes the likes of Hughes and Garry can force the casual sports fan to take notice once again. Some have argued that it is the lack of the success the Irish have enjoyed of late that has contributed to the decline in interest. But when Garry broke McGregor’s record for the longest UFC win streak for an Irish athlete last summer, no national publications carried the story.
With a win for Garry on Saturday and another for Hughes in Belfast on May 10, both could be closing in on title shots before the end of the year. That achievement itself should attract the eyes of the national media. Then, hopefully, the Irish public will get onboard with some new faces to represent Ireland by allowing the athletes to step out of the shadow McGregor has cast over the sport.
