Conor McGregor won UFC gold but what did we learn about him?

We have entered 'The McGregor Era' according to the UFC's newest champion and there are plenty of talking points in the fallout.

'Notorious' Conor McGregor became the interim featherweight champion by stopping Chad Mendes, a short-notice replacement for injured titleholder Jose Aldo, in two rounds.

James Dielhenn has analysed five topics to ponder before McGregor and Aldo finally clash...

McGregor can fight through adversity

The Irishman’s rabid fans inside the MGM Grand would have their hearts in their mouths following the first round, a five-minute period their hero lost while sustaining a significant cut above his eye.

Accustomed to wiping out opposition without receiving a telling blow in return during his two-year UFC stint, McGregor’s back was against the wall forcing him to prove credentials that he had never demonstrated before.

Mendes’ elbow sliced McGregor in the opening round and the Irish puncher would have also lost the second period had he not ended the fight with three seconds remaining. The swiftness with which he returned to his feet and punched out a tiring Mendes was testament to his willingness to embrace hardship.

He can defeat a wrestler, after all!

Even in the build-up to his anticipated fight with Aldo, McGregor was confronted with the accusation that a wrestling-based fighter would be his undoing. The notion was that Aldo, despite being world champion for a decade, was a good stylistic match-up for him.

So when Mendes, a contender feted for his wrestling, replaced Aldo at a fortnight’s notice it became clear McGregor would have to answer his critics in the toughest possible way. Having trained for Aldo’s striking style for months, he would have two weeks to adjust to Mendes’ grappling tactics.

While he endured difficulties, spending large quantities of the two rounds planted firmly on his back, McGregor’s victory should silence claims that he couldn’t defeat a wrestler.

What will Aldo be thinking?

Having sat back and watched McGregor’s victory, will Aldo have a new-found trepidation about the new interim champion or can he have somehow gained confidence? The Irish and Brazilian titleholders’ collision will be rescheduled as the division’s next championship fight.

The regret will be that, like any rising contender, Aldo would have been wise to maximise his own chances against McGregor by fighting him as early as possible. The dynamic has critically reshuffled now, with McGregor better for the experience of beating Mendes and wearing his own gold belt.

But the inaugural featherweight champion will be encouraged by chinks in his outspoken foe’s game. McGregor’s open style made him an accessible target and while Mendes’ punches did minimal damage, Aldo possesses far slicker skills. The Irishman is also yet to complete a 25-minute fight, deep waters that Aldo has swam through six times.

While Aldo has a reputation for tiring towards the fifth round, he would lick his lips at the thought of McGregor going the distance with him.

Does McGregor own the UFC's best finishing move?

The UFC has witnessed a weird and wonderful array of methods to win a fight and many will go down in history. Dan Henderson’s brutal overhand right earned its own nickname of the H-Bomb, Georges St-Pierre’s double-leg takedown secured him legendary status and Anderson Silva owns a highlight reel of KO kicks.

McGregor’s knockout ability with his left fist is quickly becoming one of the most potent moves of its generation. From a southpaw stance, the rangy fighter has trademarked a long, piston-like straight left punch that has ended several opponents’ hopes.

Before Mendes was downed, the blow had finished off Dennis Siver, Dustin Poirier, Diego Brandao and Marcus Brimage. His rivals know what’s coming, but stopping it remains unsolvable.

His ability to handle the pressure is notorious...

The measure of a great athlete is performing under the most intense pressure and McGregor has so far raised his own bar as the spotlight intensifies. Each fight is billed as his toughest test and each foe has been used a ladder to climb further to the big-time.

Having earned a reputation for predicting the round (and occasionally the shot) that would win him a fight, he brazenly labelled UFC 189 as ‘The McGregor Show’ following the completion of a gruelling world tour of promotion that Mendes was spared.

Fighting in Vegas for just the second time, he was accompanied to the cage by the live vocals of Irish songstress Sinead O’Connor in front of a mob of compatriots comparable to Ricky Hatton’s heyday. Nervous yet? McGregor didn’t seem so, barking abuse at Mendes before the opening bell and continuing the trash talk throughout their scrap. Only in the emotion of victory did we see beyond his impenetrable mask.