Last year, Conor McGregor found himself getting visibly emotional when a reporter read back to him one of his most famous quotes.

'The Notorious' joined the UFC in 2013 with ambitions like no other fighter.

His determination and passion for the game had no bounds. Motivated to be at the pinnacle of the sport drove the Irishman to succeed as one of the organisation's best ever fighters.

McGregor started to get emotional at a press conference ahead of his fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 when a reporter recited one of his quotes he had said eight years prior back in 2013.

Written below was McGregor's inspirational quote he had said back as a young man determined to make a name for himself in the sport.

"I've lost my mind on this game like Vincent van Gogh dedicated his life to his art and he lost his mind in the process.

"That's happened to me but f*** it. When that gold belt is around my waist and when my mother has a big mansion, when my girlfriend has a different car for every day of the week, when my kid's kids get everything they ever wanted.

"Then it will be pay. Then I will be happy I lost my mind."

From working as a plumber in Dublin, to becoming the biggest name in the fighting scene, is surreal.

An astounded McGregor started to take it all in. Listening to his younger former self, a moment of self-reflection saw the Irishman starstruck listening to his own words he had said back in 2013.

McGregor is a former featherweight and lightweight double champion in the UFC, with a record of 22-6. In 2021, he was ranked as the world's highest-paid athlete, earning a reported $180 million by Forbes.

His boxing match against Floyd Mayweather brought in 4.3 million pay-per-view buys in North America, the second-most in combats sport history.

He responded: "It's been some ride. I've got it done and I'm up here mad as a brush. I've been through it all my friend and... I appreciate that and it's been a wild ride for me. It's not been easy at times but, what a life."

McGregor added: "Tell you what, I wouldn't want it to be any other way."