Home Sport Conor McGregor looks back at late Sinead O’Connor’s hair-raising walkout song performance at UFC 189

Conor McGregor looks back at late Sinead O’Connor’s hair-raising walkout song performance at UFC 189

Sport — 12/07/2024 · 0 Comment

While Conor McGregor has not competed in mixed martial arts in over three years, he remains, by far, the biggest draw the sport has ever seen. Even before ‘The Notorious’ was able to capture any UFC titles, his rising star power was apparent, as it was clear that he had the potential to be the face of the organization.

McGregor had his first opportunity to capture a title at UFC 189. While he was originally set to challenge Jose Aldo for the undisputed featherweight title, the long-time champion was forced to withdraw with a fractured rib. Instead, the rising star faced Chad Mendes with the interim featherweight title on the line.

The Irishman tabbed the late Grammy Award-winning singer Sinead O’Connor – who also hails from Ireland – to perform Foggy Dew as he made his way to the octagon. UFC on TNT Sports shared footage of the iconic walkout, which took place exactly nine years ago today, captioning the post:

“𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗘-𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 🥹 Remembering this iconic walkout when the late Sinéad O’Connor sang as Conor McGregor made his way to the Octagon at #UFC189 [Irish flag] Nine years ago today. The greatest UFC walk ever?”

McGregor caught wind of the tweet and sent out a simple two emoji response, stating:

“🙏 [Irish flag]”

Check out the post from UFC on TNT Sports and the response from ‘The Notorious’ below:

McGregor went on to win the bout via second-round TKO, solidifying himself as the next to challenge Aldo for the undisputed title. He went on to need just 13 seconds to capture the featherweight title via knockout at UFC 194, marking the fastest win in a title bout. ‘The Notorious’ later became the first double champ in promotional history when he beat Eddie Alvarez via second-round TKO at UFC 205. O’Connor tragically passed away due to natural causes at the age of 56 last July.

Conor McGregor teases comeback after withdrawing from UFC 303

Conor McGregor has not competed since breaking his leg when he faced Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 over three years ago. While he appeared set to return against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 last month, he was forced to withdraw from the bout with a broken pinky toe. ‘The Notorious’ took to X on Thursday to tease that he is preparing for his return to the octagon, tweeting:

“Comeback loading… ⚡️”

Check out Conor McGregor’s tweet on his return below:

McGregor has previously shared that he still plans to face Chandler at a later date. He has noted that he is hopeful for the bout to take place at UFC 306 in September, which is set to mark the promotion’s first event at the Las Vegas Sphere. It is unclear, however, if the UFC is on board with having him headline the card.