Conor McGregor’s dad reflects on son’s rise, says you ‘can’t put a lid on talent’

Not only will Ireland's own Conor McGregor have the incontrovertible support his countrymen when he steps into the cage on Saturday night in Dublin, he will also have the unwavering patronage of his father, Tony McGregor.

McGregor Sr., unlike most others, got to see the young Irish featherweight grow into the blossoming fighter from a ripe young age, and watched him persevere through the trials and tribulations that come with life's journey.

"I remember the moment I knew he wasn't going to be a plumber," Tony McGregor told SevereMMA.com's Petesy Carroll. "It was a Monday morning, I went in to wake him up and I just remember him peering out from under his blanket and saying, ‘look, this isn't for me'.

"I knew I wasn't going to get him to go back to the building site then and I just figured there was no point in fighting it. I just closed the door behind me and left him to his own devices. Little did I know he was probably thinking about his career in the UFC. He didn't tell us originally that he was training MMA, he kind of kept that away from us. I knew nothing about the UFC at the time, I knew nothing about the career that he could possibly get out of it."

It wasn't long before Tony realized that fighting was an innate talent that his son possessed.

"Fighting is his talent, you can't put a lid on talent. Even if you try to stop it, it will always bubble to the surface."

In terms of his upcoming main event against Diego Brandao, McGregor Sr. believes his son is going to rise to the occasion and end the contest in any way he pleases.

"He could get into that ring with whatever he wants, Conor's still going to send him packing. Conor's not afraid of him and I'm not afraid of him. I asked Conor and he said that he's going to do him in the first round. Whatever he's said so far has come through, so I believe him."