Athletes
The Elite 8 | Conor McGregor’s Greatest UFC Walkouts
Eight Entrances That Proved “The Notorious” Was The Main Event Long Before The Opening Bell
There have been champions with memorable walkout songs. There have been stars with unforgettable entrances. Then there is Conor McGregor.
Long before Bruce Buffer made introductions, McGregor had already taken control of the arena. The lights dimmed, the first notes of his music echoed through the venue, and thousands of fans rose to their feet knowing they were about to witness something special. Whether he was walking into a sold-out arena in Dublin, the bright lights of Madison Square Garden for one of the biggest pay-per-view events in UFC history, McGregor transformed the trip to the Octagon into a spectacle of its own.
As we are less than two weeks away from his next grand entrance, here are McGregor’s elite 8 walkouts.
Watch Every UFC Event On Paramount+
The gold standard remains UFC 189. Challenging Chad Mendes for the interim featherweight championship, McGregor entered to a live performance of “The Foggy Dew” by Irish icon Sinéad O’Connor. It wasn’t just a walkout; it felt like the opening scene of a blockbuster. Every second amplified the significance of the moment as McGregor marched toward his first piece of UFC gold and officially arrived as the promotion’s biggest attraction.
Three fights into his UFC career, McGregor returned home to Dublin, Ireland to headline a UFC Fight Night event against Diego Brandao and was welcomed by one of the loudest crowds the UFC has ever experienced. Fans sang every lyric, waved Irish flags and created an atmosphere that has rarely been matched inside the Octagon. It remains one of the defining examples of what home-field advantage can look like in mixed martial arts.
FOLLOW @UFCNEWS: On Instagram | On X | On Threads
Then there was UFC 194. Months of worldwide promotion had built McGregor’s featherweight title fight with Jose Aldo into one of the sport’s biggest events. As he made the walk in Las Vegas, there was a calm confidence that suggested the pressure belonged to everyone else. Thirteen seconds later, the prediction became reality with the fastest title-fight finish in UFC history.
History watched once again at UFC 205. Competing on the UFC’s first card inside Madison Square Garden, McGregor entered knowing another milestone was within reach. The atmosphere inside the historic arena matched the occasion as he walked toward Eddie Alvarez and eventually became the first dual champion in UFC history.
Redemption fueled another unforgettable entrance at UFC 202. Fresh off the first loss of his UFC career against Nate Diaz, McGregor walked with the same swagger that had carried him to the top. The energy inside the arena reflected the magnitude of the rematch, and his entrance reinforced that confidence had never left his side.
UFC 329: Buy Tickets | VIP Experiences | View Fight Card
Before titles and pay-per-view records, there was UFC 178. Facing Dustin Poirier in a matchup between rising contenders, McGregor walked into Las Vegas carrying the confidence of a future champion. The crowd embraced him as a star before the rest of the world had fully caught on, making the entrance an early glimpse of everything that followed.
No McGregor walkout carried more anticipation than UFC 229. The rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov transcended the sport, creating one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history. The Octagon was met with a deafening noise as excitement, tension, and emotion filled T-Mobile Arena. Few entrances have ever carried so much weight before the opening bell.
Rounding out the elite 8 is UFC 264. By the time McGregor met Porier for a third time, he had already become one of the biggest stars combat sports has ever seen. The stakes were different, but the electricity remained. His entrance reminded fans that, regardless of the circumstances, a Conor McGregor walkout was still appointment viewing.
Keep Up With All Things UFC With Our Free Newsletter
Championships can define careers. Knockouts become highlights. Rivalries create history. But for McGregor, the moments before the cage door closed became part of the legacy. Every walk was a performance. Every entrance was an event, and together these eight moments helped redefine what it meant to walk to the Octagon.
UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 11, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
Tags