Conor McGregor may be an icon in the Octagon, but the Irishman clearly doesn’t place himself alongside the likes of Muhammad Ali when it comes to legacy.

McGregor joined the UFC back in 2013 and catapulted himself to fame as one of the most charismatic and witty fighters in the sport.

The Irishman’s infamous press conferences produced a number of hilarious one-liners, and the ‘Notorious’ would often back it up in the Octagon too. As a result, McGregor found himself as the face of the UFC as he went on to become both the featherweight and lightweight champion.

Having brought millions of eyes to the UFC and MMA in general, it’s hard to argue against McGregor’s status as a combat sport legend. But while McGregor would be the first to boast about his achievements in the sport, the 34-year-old is still humble enough to place himself below Muhammad Ali in terms of legacy.

When a reporter drew comparisons between the way Ali and McGregor backed up their talk with their performance in 2016, McGregor’s modest side made a rare appearance.

“This is a question we get asked all the time, and I take motivation and inspiration from absolutely everything and anything. People chasing their dream, putting their head down, working hard,” said McGregor.

“For me, Muhammad Ali was probably my first combat sports star that I looked up to, I’d never seen anything like that and I was fascinated by him growing up.

“Thank you for that compliment once again - it’s a comparison that’s been thrown at me a few times but I cannot accept a comparison like that.

“Muhammad Ali is a special man. He did things that were unthinkable and changed culture. But I am honoured to be put in that same bracket.”

While McGregor is clearly delighted with the Ali comparisons, the Irishman’s top priority will be to return to winning ways this year.

The 34-year-old has been absent from the Octagon since his leg break against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy fight back in July, 2021.

Having now recovered from his injury and returned to training, McGregor will be eyeing up a new opponent to mark his return.

Rumours have suggested that McGregor could go head-to-head with America’s Justin Gaethje, while a boxing rematch against Floyd Mayweather has also been mentioned.