So I’m sitting there scrolling through Instagram one lazy afternoon, tired legs propped on the coffee table. Suddenly this Connor McGregor flexing picture pops up – dude looked like a shredded action figure. My first thought? “Man, that guy used to be skinny as hell!”
Getting My Ducks In A Row
Grabbed my laptop right away and started digging. Typed “Conor McGregor early fights” into Google Images, clicked through page after page of that scrawny Irish kid with messy hair throwing punches. Found his Cage Warriors days – stick-thin arms, zero chest definition, wearing those tiny MMA shorts drowning on him.
- Scoured YouTube for documentary clips showing him before fame hit
- Saved screenshots of his weigh-ins looking like a skeleton
- Downloaded magazine covers from his Notorious era – insane shoulder width difference
Putting The Puzzle Together
Dumped all pictures into Photoshop next morning. Made a simple split-screen timeline collage. Nearly choked on my protein shake seeing the real transformation moments laid out side by side:
- 2008 McGregor: All ribs showing, chicken legs
- 2015 UFC champ: Packed on serious neck thickness
- 2020 comeback: Tree-trunk legs after powerlifting phase
The Real Lightbulb Moment
Zoomed in on his face progression while munching lunch. Saw something wild nobody talks about – how his eyes changed. Early pics show hungry fighter squinting at cages. After money rolled in? That cocky eyebrow raise became his signature move. Funny how success rewires facial expressions.
My conclusion? Sure steroids probably helped bulk phase. But what sticks with me is the grit progression – went from punching gym bags in Dublin basement to global stardom sweat sessions. Pulled up my own gym selfies later. Thought “Damn, maybe I should skip pizza night.”
