UFC champ Conor McGregor cracks Time's top '100 Most Influential People' in the world list

It’s hard to argue against Conor McGregor as the biggest name in MMA. Time magazine concurs and now says “The Notorious” UFC champ also is among the top 100 “Most Influential People” in the entire world.McGregor is part of a list that includes world leaders like Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, which is to be expected; entertainers like recent Oscar winners Emma Stone and Barry Jenkins; business icons like Jeff Bezos; and other sports stars like LeBron James, Tom Brady and Simone Biles. McGregor made the cut in the “Pioneers” category.McGregor’s profile on the list was written by MMA fan and big McGregor fan Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“Conor McGregor is more than a fighter, more than an athlete, more than a championalthough, as the first person in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship to hold titles in two weight divisions at once, he is clearly all of those things,” Schwarzenegger wrote. “Conor is also the rare personality who has become bigger than his sport. That lean, compact body must struggle to keep his enormous character inside.
“From the first time I met Conor, I knew he wasn’t the type of star you could box into one category. Since I’ve gotten to know him, I can tell you that what you see on the screenthe now familiar face of mixed martial artsjust scratches the surface. The Dublin native is razor-sharp, disciplined and charismatic. His energy is absolutely contagious, to the point where you almost start shouting in an Irish accent after 30 seconds of hearing that world-famous mouth.
“Conor has a fire in his belly that can’t be quenched with championship belts. There are no brakes that can stop his engine.”

This past November, McGregor made UFC history as the promotion’s first concurrent two-division champ when he took the lightweight title from Eddie Alvarez to go with the featherweight belt he took from longtime champ Jose Aldo 11 months prior with a 13-second knockout.McGregor had his featherweight belt relinquished a couple weeks later so the UFC could move on in that division, but he remains the lightweight titleholder. His longtime girlfriend soon will have the pair’s first child, but after that, McGregor is almost certain to delve into the world of boxing for what is expected to be a mega-crossover event for the ages between him and unbeaten former champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. The numbers being bandied around include a $100 million payday for Mayweather and $75 million for McGregor.
He will, of course, continue to face questions about when he’ll defend his lightweight title, and against whom. But for now, everything McGregor touches seems to turn to gold.For more on the UFCs upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.