CONOR McGREGOR’S FOLLOWING has grown even bigger since last Saturday and a legendary MMA coach is one of his many fans.
Greg Jackson was very impressed by the Irish star as he overcame Chad Mendes to win the UFC’s interim featherweight title at UFC 189 in Las Vegas.
Jackson, who has trained UFC champions like Jon Jones, Georges St Pierre and Rashad Evans, spoke to Jonathan Shrager of MixedMartialArts.com following the victory.
“He [McGregor] really stepped up, performed well and answered a lot of questions,” said Jackson. “You’ve just got to respect the guy. He’s a modern Muhammad Ali.
“He talks to the guys right in the middle of [the fight] and he gets in their heads. It’s very impressive to watch.”
Jackson is not the first person to mention McGregor in the same breath a Ali, and while the comparison may be a bit excessive, such comments from someone of Jackson’s stature are an indication of the impact the 27-year-old Dubliner has had in the world of MMA.
Jackson was in Vegas over the weekend for the UFC 189/TUF 21 Finale double header, and he was also full of praise for the many Irish fans who made the trip.
“It’s a lot of fun to meet a lot of the Irish fans,” Jackson said. “They’re really full-on and I love it. They’re so passionate and they’re everything that I like about people. I got to meet a lot of them and make a lot of new friends, which I really enjoy.”
