“Notorious nearly never happened. You want the real story? The McGregor story could’ve been about the lad who never left Dublin. I manifested greatness… After all that, you think I’m going to give up now? Get real. Failure isn’t fatal. Success isn’t final. I’ll just keep going, knowing I wrote this story.” Conor McGregor announced today on his Instagram. At first glance, it might seem like the Irishman is teasing another Octagon comeback—a return fight, maybe even a title run. But that’s not the case! In fact, the former double champ is planning to enter the Crypto market!

Well, the word itself has controversy attached to it. First, let’s talk about Khamzat Chimaev and his infamous SMASH coin which later turned out to be a fraudulent case of pump and dump from 2024 summer. However, the undefeated 185fer did not know its whereabouts and distanced himself from the controversy while his manager Majdi Shammas came out and supported Chimaev’s claim. Secondly, in November last year, a dubious coin titled “Convict McGregor” made waves online. Its release coincided with a Dublin court’s ruling that found ‘The Notorious’ liable in a civil assault case involving a 35-year-old woman named Nikita Hand, stemming from an incident in 2018.

The coin, marketed as a “satirical meme token,” urged people to “donate towards legal fees of the victim”—a move that sparked swift backlash. The controversy only deepened when Khabib Nurmagomedov, McGregor’s fiercest rival, publicly backed the meme coin. Though it was never officially confirmed whether ‘$CONVICT’ was a legitimate project or just another pump-and-dump scheme, the UFC Hall Of Famer didn’t hold back. ‘The Eagle’ took to his verified X account to endorse the ‘Convict McGregor’ crypto coin, writing, “Good job guys” in a show of full support.

However, with time, these controversies faded into the background—until now. With McGregor stepping into the same space, the spotlight’s back on. Only this time, the Irishman is bringing his signature swagger and a promise to shake things up. Recently, on Instagram, he dropped this bold statement: “Now it’s time to change the CRYPTO game.” With that, Conor McGregor officially unveiled his cryptocurrency, fittingly named “$REAL.”

McGregor has now entered the $2.74 trillion crypto market with a venture of his own. Whether ‘$REAL’ will succeed—or end up like Khamzat Chimaev’s troubled “SMASH” coin—remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: controversy always finds its way back to the Irishman.

​Irish leader reacted as Conor McGregor spoke out at the White House

Conor McGregor has never shied away from expressing his deep-rooted pride in his Irish heritage. But in recent times, the UFC superstar has grown increasingly vocal about his discontent with Ireland’s current state—particularly the ongoing immigration crisis and what he perceives as a lack of leadership. Since late 2023, McGregor has aimed at the nation’s top political figures, including the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach, criticizing their handling of national affairs.

What began as a series of pointed remarks has since evolved into a full-blown public feud between McGregor and the Irish government. Tensions reached a new high earlier this month when McGregor traveled to the White House on St. Patrick’s Day, having received an invitation from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Speaking during a press conference, Conor McGregor delivered a scathing critique that sent shockwaves through Ireland’s political landscape.

McGregor declared. “Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability.” ‘The Notorious’ went on to warn the Irish public, accusing the current leadership of enabling an “illegal immigration racket” that, in his words, has placed Ireland “on the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness.” The explosive comments fueled speculation that McGregor may be eyeing a run in the 2025 Irish presidential election. His remarks triggered swift backlash from government leaders.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris didn’t mince words in their responses. Harris, in particular, dismissed McGregor’s political relevance, stating: “It’s for President Trump to invite whoever he wishes to his home, but let me be very clear—Conor McGregor is not representing Ireland. He does not speak for the people of Ireland. I don’t expect he’s going to be the president of Ireland. We have a long tradition of electing people of integrity and decency.”

With the spotlight now firmly on Conor McGregor—thanks to his presidential aspirations and the launch of his cryptocurrency venture, ‘$REAL’—the question on everyone’s mind is: Could he pull this off? Is Conor McGregor serious about running for president, or is this just another headline-chasing moment? Share your thoughts below.