First it was TheMacLife, now it’s the MacMoji, as the popularity of Conor McGregor continues to surge, as does the Irishman’s clutch on modern day pop culture.
The newly launched application by AppMoji, Inc. is described as ’emojis personally curated by the UFC Champion himself’. The messaging add-on includes a selection of McGregor inspired emoji icons and they’re down right awesome.
Ahead of the biggest fight of his career this Saturday at UFC 205, where McGregor faces off against Lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, we take a look at five of the best “MacMojis” and give you the context behind them.
5. “It was all a dream…”
Ever since stepping foot into the Octagon in early 2013, McGregor has hypnotised audiences the world over in his rise to the top of the mixed martial arts food chain.
The most recognisable name the UFC has ever produced, the Irishman has talked, struck and strutted his way to stardom, earning millions of dollars in the process.
It’s no secret that McGregor has a lot of admiration for rap legend Biggie Smalls. Not only does he lend Biggie’s likeness for his MMA nickname “Notorious” but the current UFC champion is also known for entering the arena to the sound of B.I.G’s ‘Hypnotize’.
In the 90s Biggie donned the COOGI sweater and sent the world into hysteria, now in 2016 McGregor looks to do the same, with a colourfully vibrant mishmash every bit as loud as his persona.
4. McGregor has that money in the bank
An emoji with multiple layers of context, so let’s start from the beginning. In February, 1964 a 22-year-old Muhammad Ali – known still as Cassius Clay – was preparing for his first world title shot against adversary Sonny Liston.
The fight was being hyped as one of the biggest sporting events in history, thus SportsIllustrated focused their February magazine issue on Ali, photographing him with his $1 million winnings.
Fast forward 51 years, Jose Aldo and Mr. Mac-man were preparing to make history of their own inside the Octagon. Signifying his brash style, McGregor took to the vault and put the Irish spin on one of sport’s most iconic photos. Safe to say, this MacMoji spells megabucks.
3. 13 seconds and out
It was one of the most significant moments in MMA history, after almost a year building towards the sport’s most anticipated box-office clash, it took McGregor just 13 seconds to defeat Jose Aldo and capture the UFC Featherweight championship.
“Timing beats speed, precision beats power,” and just like that, a looping left hand dropped the Brazilian champion, dethroning Aldo and vanquishing his decade long reign as the world’s top Featherweight. UFC 194 was the crowning of a new king and his name was McGregor.
2. The Mac vs. The Mountain
The irresistible force meets the immovable object, long before the dawning of touch-butt, McGregor’s tough training regime was seen as a huge part of his impending claim to the ‘iron throne’.
As Aldo was preparing for battle with multiple-time world kickboxing champion, Dutchman Andy Souwer, McGregor was doing one better. He was training with The F–king Mountain.
Towering over 5ft9 McGregor, the ‘Game of Thrones‘ monster Gregor Clegane (real name Hafthor Julius Bjornsson) stands at the nearly 7ft and weighs 400lbs, around 255lbs heavier than McGregor on fight night.
In all honesty, not much seemed to happen in their “sparring” session, but it sure makes for a cool MacMoji.
1. History beckons at UFC 205 as McGregor aims for dual-weight world title reign
In all honesty, it’s the coolest MacMoji off them all and should things go his way on Saturday night in New York City, social media will be rife with this emoji of “The Notorious” hoisting his two title belts high above his head.
The image originates from an open workout session in January 2015 before McGregor’s fight with Dennis Siver in Boston. It showed an eerie amount of confidence from the Irishman, predicting dominance over two different weight divisions.
He has already achieved it once before, securing both the Featherweight and Lightweight championships in Cage Warriors Fighting Championship. November 12, Madison Square Garden, Mystic Mac looks to fulfil his prophecy and make history once again as the UFC’s first ever dual-weight champion.
The MacMoji apps is available for download from the iOS and Android app stores. It comes with a cost, but if you’re a McGregor fan, it’s a sound investment.
