8. Gold Rush
Conor McGregor first tasted two-division fruit under the Cage Warriors Fighting Championship flag, some four years before he would do the same in the UFC. With the featherweight crown already in his possession, the John Kavanagh protégé took aim at the lightweight belt when he squared off with Ivan Buchinger at Cage Warriors 51 on Dec. 31, 2012 in Dublin. He waltzed into the New Year in style, knocking out Buchinger 3:40 into the first round. The win was McGregor’s last on the regional scene, as he vacated both championships to sign with the UFC in the months that followed. Buchinger now sports a gaudy 32-5 record and has won 11 of his 12 bouts since, reclaiming his Cage Warriors lightweight title while also capturing gold within the M-1 Global organization.
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