Conor McGregor always knew he was going to be something special.
McGregor will roll into Saturday night’s UFC 196 fight against Nate Diaz as the promotion’s featherweight champion and arguably the most popular MMA fighter on the planet. The Irishman’s rise to stardom hasn’t been quite as meteoric as some might assume, though.
In reality, he’s been building toward and expecting greatness for years, as evidenced by the following video of a 20-year-old McGregor predicting MMA success, fame and fortune way back in 2008.
A lot has happened in the eight years since McGregor tapped into his crystal ball. A bushy beard — rather than pimples — now covers his face, he’s known across the world and all of UFC is on notice that he just might be the baddest man in the industry. But some things have been consistent.
McGregor has been talking the talk and walking the walk from the onset of his fighting days.
