Accolades: UFC Fight of the Night (vs. Chris Kelades)Birthday: February 18, 1988
10. Stevie Lynch
That set the stage for McGregor’s UFC debut at UFC Stockholm in 2013, where he knocked out Marcus Brimmage in the first round. He would win his next 6 UFC bouts – with 5 of them coming by knockout. During that stretch, he knocked out UFC greats like Dustin Poirier, Chad Mendes, and Jose Aldo. In fact, his first round knockout of Aldo was the fastest win and finish in UFC championship history, a record that still stands.That set the stage for McGregor’s UFC debut at UFC Stockholm in 2013, where he knocked out Marcus Brimmage in the first round. He would win his next 6 UFC bouts – with 5 of them coming by knockout. During that stretch, he knocked out UFC greats like Dustin Poirier, Chad Mendes, and Jose Aldo. In fact, his first round knockout of Aldo was the fastest win and finish in UFC championship history, a record that still stands.Pendred is known for his appearance on the 19th season of The Ultimate Fighter as a member of BJ Penn’s team. He would go on to become a semi-finalist and earn a UFC contract. Pendred made his debut at UFC Dublin on July 19, 2014, a night in which every member of SBG Ireland would win their bout. He defeated Mike King via rear-naked choke in the second round, earning Fight of the Night honors.Egan competed at UFC 93 against John Hathaway on January 17, 2009. He lost via TKO due to elbow strikes in the first round. He would go on to fight 7 more times in his career, finishing with a record of 7-5.Years Active: 2009-2015Garry won the Cage Warriors welterweight championship at Cage Warriors 125 on June 26, 2021, prompting the UFC to offer him a contract. He made his promotional debut at UFC 268, where he knocked out Jordan Williams at the very end of the first round. During his Octagon interview, Garry alluded to Conor McGregor’s legendary quote about the Irish not coming to take part, but to take over in the UFC.Weight Class: Welterweight
UFC Record: 5-3-1Lynch had a very short MMA career and an even shorter UFC tenure. His career started promisingly – going 5-0 in the European MMA circuits before signing on a deal to fight in the UFC. He fought against Dustin Hazelett in what became his only UFC appearance, losing via anaconda choke submission in the first round.MMA Record: 16-6UFC Record: 0-1
1. Conor McGregor
Accolades: Cage Warriors FC Champion, Cage Contender Champion, UFC Fight of the Night honors (vs. Mike King)Accolades: UFC Performance of the Night (vs. Ivan Jorge), MMA Junkie Submission of the Month July 2015 (vs. Ivan Jorge), win over Conor McGregorUndefeated Irish MMA fighter Ian Machado Garry is considered to be Ireland’s next best hope for a future UFC champion. Known for his slick striking skills, Garry has already been compared to the most famous Irish UFC fighter, Conor McGregor. At only 25 years old, Garry is expected to be a fixture in the UFC welterweight division for years to come.In this list, I share my picks for the top 10 Irish UFC fighters in history. The list is not comprehensive (there are 5 other Irish MMA fighters not included), as I prioritized success in the UFC as well as significance (such as being the first Irish UFC fighter).McGregor is one of the most important figures in MMA history, popularizing the sport both in his native Ireland and around the globe. He will forever be known as the greatest Irish UFC fighter in history.The first Northern Irish UFC fighter was Stevie Lynch, who debuted under the Irish tri-color at UFC 72 on June 16, 2007. However, since Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom, some don’t consider Lynch to be the first. The first Irish fighter from the Republic of Ireland to compete in the UFC was Tom Egan, who fought at UFC 93 on January 17, 2009.
Accolades: Cage Warriors champion, UFC Performance of the Night (vs. Daniel Rodriguez)Norman Parke is a Northern Irish MMA fighter who competed in the UFC from 2012-2016. He is known for being the lightweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes, a regional version of TUF where British fighters competed against Australians. He defeated fellow Brit Brendan Loughnane in the semi-finals, who would go on to become the PFL featherweight champion in 2022.Pendred went on to win his next 3 fights in the UFC. His first loss was a controversial split decision against John Howard at UFC 189. He lost via TKO in his next bout at UFC Dublin on October 24, 2015, against Tom Breese. Pendred made the decision to retire after the loss so he could focus on a new career in acting.Accolades: First Northern Irish UFC fighter, first fighter to fight under the Irish tri-colourKnown for his incredible boxing skills and signature straight left, McGregor set the tone for his career when he became a simultaneous multi-division champion in Cage Warriors. After defeating Dave Hill via rear-naked choke at Cage Warriors 47 to win the featherweight title, he knocked out Ivan Buchinger in his next bout to win the lightweight title.Accolades: Winner of The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes, Cage Contender champion, KSW lightweight champion (interim)Birthday: October 23, 1993
FAQs
How many Irish people are in the UFC?
Patrick Holohan is an Irish UFC fighter who competed in the flyweight division. Better known as “Paddy,” Holohan was a teammate of Conor McGregor under coach John Kavanaugh at SBG Ireland. Known for his slick grappling and unusually tall frame for flyweight, Holohan collected 3 victories in the UFC Octagon.
Did Conor McGregor retire from the UFC?
Years Active: 2006-PresentYears Active: 2007-2015Weight Class: Flyweight
Who was the first Irishman in the UFC?
Although he has not officially retired, there remains speculation as to whether or not McGregor will compete in MMA again. His leg was surgically repaired after a devastating injury at UFC 264, leading some to believe he will not be able to come back. McGregor is also the wealthiest MMA fighter in history and many speculate that he will not have the same drive to compete again because of it.
Are there Irish girls in the UFC?
Holohan’s unfortunate retirement came in 2016 after it was discovered that he suffers from a rare blood disorder. He would go on to become an Irish politician. He also opened his own gym, Holohan Martial Arts, where Irish UFC strawweight Shauna Bannon trains.
