UFC standout Conor McGregor says he is on a “spiritual journey,” attributing the change to God “saving” him and calling him to live “a life by God’s Word.”
The 37-year-old former featherweight and lightweight champion discussed his beliefs at a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship press conference in Italy last week.
Responding to a question about whether his path aligns with BKFC’s ethos—he is a part-owner—McGregor said, “I'm not here just by chance. There is a higher power, God, that dictates my journey and all of our journeys. And I live my life by God's Word.”
McGregor, who has been sidelined since breaking his ankle in a 2021 rematch with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, told reporters he has undergone a significant personal shift from his once-brash persona.
“Since around that time that you mentioned, at the last event, I've engaged on a spiritual journey and I've [been] saved. I'm saved. I am healed,” he said. “And, you know, on the back of that, the world is in for a treat. The world is in for a treat. My competitive spark that was once in my heart is now a roaring blaze. So I'm very excited.”
BKFC President David Feldman publicly applauded McGregor’s lifestyle pivot, pointing to the courage required to change course.
“A lot of people in the world need to make changes in their life, and they don't because they don't have the guts to, they don't have the balls to, they don't have the fortitude to,” Feldman said. “And I just want to take this time to take my hat off and commend Conor McGregor for making the kind of change that he had to make.”
Feldman added that the shift “is not easy” and predicted fans will see “the best Conor McGregor” upon his UFC return.
McGregor—who has four children with fiancée Dee Devlin—has expressed interest in competing on the UFC’s planned White House card on June 14, 2026, tied to the United States’ 250th anniversary.
His career has included multiple sexual assault allegations that led to arrests but no criminal convictions.
In 2018, McGregor pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after throwing a dolly through a bus window, injuring several people; he paid restitution, completed five days of community service at a Brooklyn church, and underwent anger management.
At the press conference, McGregor said he wants to “leave a legacy that can be looked upon as a lesson.”
“You've seen with me what works. I showed what works, and also, I showed what doesn't work. Now I'm in a stage where I come back and show again what I'm about,” he said.
