Conor McGregor's coach discusses what makes UFC star special

What makes Conor McGregor such a unique fighter? We asked the man who knows him best...

John Kavanagh, head coach at Dublin's Straight Blast Gym, is McGregor's trainer and oversaw the Irish sensation's recent UFC title win.

Kavanagh explained what makes McGregor so 'Notorious'...

That left fist!

Kavanagh said: A southpaw’s best weapon is the straight left. For whatever reason, nobody hits harder than Conor. I’ve got heavyweights in my gym and Conor can punch harder.

Contrary to popular belief, it tends to be tall, lanky, rangy fighters who punch the hardest. The proper technique means a punch comes from your back foot, driving through the leg and hip before power is generated by whipping through the shoulder.

That seems to be something he just has. If you compare him to Jose Aldo – who regularly lands plenty of shots but still goes to decisions – Conor only needs to land a couple of clean shots to get a knockout.

Trash talk...

Kavanagh said: That’s 100 per cent down to Conor, I have zero part of that. I play no part in developing that or telling him what to say. However, I can see it’s highly effective so I encourage it.

These mind games definitely work. Think back to Muhammad Ali lying on the ropes and letting George Foreman tire himself out. Conor was on his back, in a safe position, allowing Mendes to tire himself out before coming back to get a knockout within 10 minutes.

McGregor's star power

Kavanagh said: The honest answer is that I knew Conor would be a great fighter but I didn’t know he would become so popular. He was always a charismatic guy but I couldn’t have predicted how big he would get. I walk into shops and 65-year-old ladies ask me about Conor, that’s incredible.

He never has moments where that gets on top of him. It’s great that he’s receiving recognition. It’s never too much for him. Pressure is for tyres.

Good old-fashioned hard work

Kavanagh said: He isn't talented or gifted. Nobody is born knowing how to play the guitar. You learn, you practice, you work.  

In the gym during sparring we never do less than six rounds of five minutes and he gets through that without taking a deep breath. That’s because there is no area of fighting where he is uncomfortable.

If your motivation is to get better, you will never fully achieve it because you can always improve. That’s what drives Conor.

There’s a difference between being a prizefighter and a martial artist. I’ve been at the gym where a new guy with two weeks’ training asks a basic question and Conor will spend 30 minutes helping him. That’s passion.

So, how does he defeat world champion Jose Aldo?

Kavanagh said: There is evidence to prove the disparity in power between Conor’s shots and Jose’s. There’s a reason why Conor’s fights are usually less than two rounds and Aldo regularly goes the distance.

Aldo’s leg kicks will take care of themselves because Conor is a southpaw. But anyway, tell me the last fight where Aldo’s kicks played a significant role? Not in the last seven fights, at least.

Aldo must factor in that he’s trying to kick a much taller man. He must factor in that whenever he lifts his leg, Conor will hit him with a left hand. Aldo’s kicks will not play any role.

I foresee this fight being similar to Conor’s other fights. He’ll come out quickly, back Aldo up, and that will be all she wrote.