https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_zy_V7muqg The only reason Conor McGregor is opening this list is because to be fair, the UFC is already pushing the hell out of the Irish MMA star, at least in Europe. McGregor was tapped to headline the UFC's return to Dublin, its first Irish show in five years, and the event was a rousing success, with McGregor capping it off by knocking out opponent Diego Brandao in the first round, just as he had promised. If he keeps calling his shots like that, he's going to be the MMA equivalent of Babe Ruth. Now, the UFC just needs to promote him in the U.S. - and it shouldn't be hard. McGregor is skilled on the mic, his accent slight, he's already popular in Boston with its Irish roots, and he's entertaining enough to catch on just about anywhere. Stateside, he's arguably already able to at least co-headline shows. His next real test is coming up in Las Vegas, against Dustin Poirier at UFC 178. If he preforms well there, it's time to really make him one of the faces of the UFC.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.