We've all become accustomed to Conor McGregor. The flash suits, shiny super cars, expensive watches, and talking the talk, as well as walking the walk.
His rise to fame brought all of these things, and ever since he's been a household name. It's all we've pretty much known about him. However, the Dubliner has always remained loyal and humble to his roots and the graft he has put in.
A small LAD growing up on the streets of Dublin, he was sporty, but was nothing out of the ordinary.
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At the age of 12, McGregor started kickboxing as a hobby. However, it was not until 2006, in the middle of a plumbing apprenticeship when he met future UFC fighter Tom Egan, that his true passion for MMA began.
It was around that time that Conor's sister, Erin, introduced him to a book. The book, according to Bleacher Report, is the reason McGregor is the brash, outlandish, confident man we know today.
Erin had read Rhonda Bryne's The Secret, a book about staying positive to create life-changing events, and creating happiness, health, and wealth.
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Mystic Mac's sister, a fitness model and bodybuilder, swore by the book and tried to push it onto Conor. For a while he shunned the book, thinking the theme of the 'law of attraction' was nonsense.
A year or so later, after a bad day, Conor and long-term girlfriend, Dee, sat down and finally watched a DVD adaptation of the book. That's when things began to click.
The ideologies of the book spoke to the 28-year-old. The realisation that putting your mind to things, concentrating and focusing on them would most likely lead to success, resonated with Conor. He'd start small, focusing on things like getting the parking space closest to the shop door. When it continuously worked, this is when big things started to happen.
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"We would be driving to the shop and visualising the exact car park space," he says. "And then we'd be able to get it every time."
It's easy to see how far he's come, too.
In a video which is apparently his first ever pro fight, back in 2007, Conor dons a skin head, has no tattoos and looks as if he's fighting in Hawaiian shorts.
The fact he's fighting to a small crowd in a dimly lit room in Ireland for a Ring Of Truth event doesn't stop his jubilation, as he jumps around after winning via knockout.
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Back then, he employed the same tactics as the current day. He goes in all guns blazing, seeking that emphatic knockout. When his opponent, Ciaran Campbel, goes down, he doesn't follow him. Instead, he throws kicks and standing punches, before letting him get back up.
He did similar in his second fight with Nate Diaz, whereby he didn't want to suffer another loss to someone who has more wrestling ability than him. As per usual, his fists did enough anyway.
Featured Image Credit: The Best Highlights & K.O.Topics: Conor Mcgregor, UFC, MMA