Conor McGregor has become the benchmark by which budding MMA fighters are judged. As a result, he has motivated numerous fighters to pursue careers in the sport. However, there is one fighter whose career was personally impacted by ‘The Notorious’ himself via a phone call. This fighter is none other than Brendan Loughnane (34) of Manchester, England. In his recent interview with talkSport MMA, Loughnane shared details about how, at one point, he considered calling it quits, but McGregor’s call encouraged him to stick with the sport.
Talking to Adam Catterall, Loughnane revealed that he experienced a difficult phase following his loss against PFL 2023 featherweight champion Jesus Pinedo. Pinedo’s knockout was the first time the Mancunian was knocked out in his 32-fight career, as before that, he had only lost by decision. Consequently, after that loss, the 34-year-old decided to quit MMA, but McGregor’s call for sparring helped him regain confidence and stay on. In his words,
“I was still contemplating what I was going to do and then Conor McGregor rings and says do you want to spar? And there’s nothing like a Conor McGregor backhand to check your chin to see if it still works, and apparently it still operates so I thought, let’s get back in there. That started the fire.”
After the loss, Loughnane approached his family, wanting to enter one more tournament. Although his family was initially concerned, Loughnane finally traveled to Thailand after Christmas and trained there until March. Once the training was complete, the UK native returned to the MMA for the first time after facing a bump in his career.
Interestingly, Loughnane isn’t the only fighter whom McGregor has helped. In 2022, Molly McCann also revealed how The Irishman’s advice helped progress her career.
Conor McGregor’s advice to Molly McCann
At the press conference for UFC 281, McCann was asked if she had received advice from McGregor on handling fame. She claimed McGregor advised her to concentrate on training when in the gym and not let anything else distract her. He reminded Molly that fighting is her main priority and emphasized that she’s a cage warrior, and should remain that way at all times. This advice helped her stay focused and not get lost in fame.
Indeed, McGregor and other seasoned stars have experienced both adversity and success, making them valuable guiding lights for young fighters. Advice like McGregor’s can significantly improve a fighter’s skills and mindset, helping them become better athletes.
