Numbers don't lie, but they definitely don't tell the whole story. Especially when you're talking about the guy who basically turned the UFC into a global powerhouse by himself. If you just glance at the Conor McGregor MMA record, you see 22 wins and 6 losses. On paper, that’s solid. It's great. But it's not "greatest of all time" territory if you're comparing it to the unblemished runs of guys like Khabib or Jon Jones.
Honestly, though? If you think those 28 fights are just about the Ws and Ls, you’re missing why he's the biggest star the sport has ever seen.
The journey from a plumbing apprentice in Dublin to a two-belt world champion is etched into those stats. You've got the meteoric rise, the "champ-champ" peak, and then the weird, fragmented recent years where he's spent more time on yachts than in the Octagon. Let’s actually look at the dirt under the fingernails of this record.
Breaking Down the Conor McGregor MMA Record
When you peel back the layers, McGregor’s resume is a weird mix of absolute dominance and high-profile stumbles. He isn't a "grind out a decision" kind of fighter. Basically, if Conor is winning, someone is going to sleep.
Of his 22 professional wins, a staggering 19 have come via knockout or TKO. That is an 86% finish rate by strikes. That's not normal. Most fighters have a mix of subs, decisions, and KOs, but Conor’s record is heavily weighted toward his left hand.
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The Winning Side: How He Did It
He wasn't just beating people; he was deleting them.
- The 13-Second Erasing of Jose Aldo: This is the crown jewel. Aldo hadn't lost in a decade. Conor walked in, landed one counter-hook, and it was over.
- The Eddie Alvarez Masterclass: This was arguably the best version of McGregor. He made a world-class champion look like an amateur for two rounds before becoming the first-ever simultaneous two-weight UFC champion.
- The Early Blitz: Before the UFC, he was tearing through Cage Warriors. People forget he was a double champ there, too.
The Losing Side: The Achilles Heel
Now, look at the 6 losses. Notice a pattern? Four of them are by submission.
- Artemij Sitenkov (2008): A kneebar loss in his third pro fight.
- Joseph Duffy (2010): An arm-triangle that lasted 38 seconds.
- Nate Diaz (2016): The rear-naked choke that shocked the world at UFC 196.
- Khabib Nurmagomedov (2018): The neck crank after a brutal, personal rivalry.
The other two losses? Those came back-to-back against Dustin Poirier in 2021. One was a straight-up KO—the first time Conor had ever been put away with strikes—and the last one was that horrific leg break at UFC 264.
Why the Record is Misleading
People love to say Conor is "washed" because he's 1-3 in his last four MMA fights. But context matters.
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He lost to Khabib, who retired undefeated and is arguably the best to ever do it. He lost twice to Dustin Poirier, who has been a top-three lightweight for years. His only win in the last five years was a 40-second demolition of Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone.
Is he the same fighter who slept Aldo? Probably not. You can't have $200 million in the bank and still have the same "starving" hunger. But even a diminished Conor is still a dangerous night for almost anyone at 155 or 170 pounds.
Success Across Weight Classes
One thing that makes the Conor McGregor MMA record stand out is the versatility. He is the first fighter in UFC history to have knockout wins in three different weight classes:
- Featherweight (145 lbs): Where he became a legend.
- Lightweight (155 lbs): Where he reached his peak against Alvarez.
- Welterweight (170 lbs): Where he fought Diaz twice and Cerrone.
That kind of range is rare. Most guys find a home and stay there. Conor jumped around because he chased the biggest possible checks and the biggest possible challenges. Sometimes it worked (Diaz 2), and sometimes it backfired (Diaz 1).
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The "Notorious" Statistics
If you're a stats nerd, the UFC official numbers for McGregor are actually pretty wild. He lands about 5.32 significant strikes per minute. That’s high volume for a power puncher. His striking accuracy sits around 49%, which sounds low until you realize he’s almost always swinging for the fences.
His takedown defense is surprisingly good, too, at 66%. People think he's easy to take down because of the Khabib fight, but Khabib did that to everyone. Against Chad Mendes—a high-level NCAA wrestler—Conor got up and eventually found the finish.
What’s Left for the Record?
At this stage in 2026, every fight is a massive risk for his legacy. If he comes back and wins, he’s a god. If he loses again, the "22-7" or "22-8" starts to look a lot less like a legend and more like a guy who stayed too long at the party.
But honestly? McGregor has already won. The record is just a map of where he’s been. He proved you can be a specialist—a sniper—and take over a sport dominated by all-rounders.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors:
- Don't ignore the layoffs: Conor's longest periods of inactivity have always been followed by his toughest performances. Ring rust is a real factor for him.
- Watch the first round: If you're analyzing his fights, the first 5 minutes are everything. Conor has almost never won a fight where he didn't dominate the opening frame.
- Check the weight: He looks healthiest and most explosive at 155, even though he's been pushing for 170 lately.
If you want to keep track of how these stats evolve, your best bet is to follow the live updates on UFC Stats or Sherdog, as they keep the most granular records of strike counts and official times.