Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, it's time we take a look at the Irishman of the year himself, Mr. Conor McGregor. It's easy to fall under the Conor crush for multiple reasons. Although McGregor has a huge following, we can't say that they are all admirers of the Irish lad. For every lover, there is always a hater and we found out just why that is.

He emerged not too long ago and has taken the MMA world by storm. Wherever he goes, hype and drama seem to follow. We can't say that it is entirely unprovoked as the man himself loves to talk trash. Whether it's a genius marketing tactic or the genuine truth, McGregor knows how to sell. He rakes in major bucks for the UFC and he knows exactly how. He's bold, unapologetic and some people just can't stand that confidence.

It seems as though this one is here to stay. Making his place in the MMA world, McGregor is noticeable, relentless and gives the crowd exactly what they want. With all the fame, glory and money, it is natural that the haters will follow. Like any celebrity, people find fault and dissatisfaction in anything the superstar does. Whether it's jealous or envy, the haters show it effortlessly by trying to bring this champ down.

15. His popularity

It's no secret that Conor is a massive superstar. Along with fame comes the lovers and the haters. Like any celebrity, the reasons for fans to hate him - like any popular person - is because he is so popular and they are jealous and envious of his fame and fortune. It doesn't seem like McGregor's main focus is to be loved or adored by his fans. McGregor knows what he is doing to keep his popularity and it is anything but killing them with kindness. Whether people are tuning in to see him get his butt kicked, McGregor knows how to pull in the ratings and use his popularity to his advantage.

14. They hate his fan base

Monkey see, monkey do, that's the way it goes when it comes to jumping on the McGregor bandwagon. Everyone seems to follow whomever is the most talked about and adorned fighter, despite knowing little about the actual sport. Fighting is a craft, it is tactical, exhausting and requires a great amount of skill. Most of his fans get caught up in all the hype and that's why a majority of people hate his fans. They seem to take every word he says as the gospel and uphold extreme reactions when he wins or loses. His fans are a reflection of his overall attitude and that's what makes us hate him just a little bit more.

13. He's too flashy

Nobody ever seems to be a fan of those who love to flaunt all the wealth they have. In all fairness he earned it with his blood, sweat and tears - literally. If it's not his famous walk, Conor is best known for his amazing fashion. He is always daunting his designer suits, croc skin shoes and insane watches. People don't like his flashiness rubbed in their face. Conor was never shy to ask for the money that he thinks he deserves and he is definitely not afraid to show how much he has. He puts his money where his mouth is - literally. Half of his fans can't even afford a half of what he can with his salary and the hate-o-meter rises with every social media post, flaunting his insane amount of wealth.

12. His confidence

People in general are always trying to fulfill their dreams in all facets of their life whether it be business, family, personal goals etc. Conor is no different. He confidently went after his dreams of making it to the top with hard dedication to his craft every day. Not feeling insecure or doubting himself helped him succeed to where he is today. People are so quick to hate on those who have finally achieved their dreams and wish that there was more of a struggle or stumble along the way. Haters despise seeing his success and how he is so confident about where he is at and where he can be. They want to see humility of which Conor has very little. The overconfidence doesn't sit well with many.

11. He's not "one of the guys"

It is no secret that most of the other UFC fighters do not like Conor McGregor. He's not a "guy's guy" as he's always doing his own thing. This would all be fine and dandy except for the fact that he has frequent outbursts which his fellow fighters aren't so fond of. UFC 205's press conference showed his baby behaviour in its finest form. He went on to imply that every fighter on stage is dressed like him, tried to talk like him and tried to be like him. It's not exactly the best way to make friends, but that seems to be the last of Conor's worries. He knows the way to make his money, and how to antagonize fellow fighters.

10. He doesn't have respect for MMA traditions

Ah, the infamous belt snatch that nobody will ever forget. Aldo was left stunned and pretty pissed off at this out of protocol act. McGregor has balls to snatch the belt and pull these type of moves. Sure he knows his moves inside and outside the ring, but this type of move wasn't looked upon with such adoring eyes. The MMA always has always had certain unspoken and spoken rules of conduct. With Conor, it's basically one ear and out the other when it comes to the rules of conduct. He knows how to cause a stir and this was one definite no-no in MMA. The simple expected behaviours of respecting your opponent seems to fly out the window with McGregor. This is a definite reason why fellow fighters and fans turn their backs towards the Irishmen. He lacks basic respect and proves it with his antics.

9. He doesn't defend his belt

Sometimes things hit and it's just below the belt. McGregor succeeded in beating Aldo at 145 lbs allowing him to move up to the 170 lbs category to fight Nate Diaz not once but twice. He then went back down to 155 lbs in order to fight Alvarez and win the lightweight title. Not only do people find that he gets to pick his opponents at this point, they definitely agree with his belt being stripped. The craziest thing now is that McGregor is somewhat switching sports all together and is planning to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr.

8. Because he's the best

As much as we hate to admit it, we can't help to deny that he really is the best and that drives us crazy. We want all his faults to fuel our fire and keep the hate train steaming, but the truth is really in our face and it drives us crazy. We wish the cocky, over-confident star would not be at his prime and reigning beyond belief but there is nothing we can do. The fact that McGregor has fought his way literally to the top just adds fuel to the fire in terms of us hating his success. With each belt he wins, each new opportunity knocking on his door, everyone squirms with disappointment that this lad really isn't losing after all. He's at the top of his game and it is a definite reason why we can't help but hate him.

7. Mayweather hype

We thought we would never see the day that the  MMA and boxing would eventually collide, but believe it or not, that day is almost here. There has been so much hype around whether or not these two will fight. They will both fight with their hands, which is fair considering MMA has a whole lot more options to defend and beat your opponent besides striking with the fists. It is a feat that is definitely something McGregor is not used to, but he is up to the challenge. The fact that he is stepping out of his MMA comfort zone and crossing over into an entirely different sport against one of the greatest is shocking. His confidence in succeeding in such a match leaves fans in awe and wondering what will happen when these two face off.

6. He's a sellout

The typical definition of a sellout is: a betrayal of one's principles for reasons of expedience. Over the years, other UFC fighters have begun to think that Conor was the walking projection of a sell out. His continuous bragging about his money and being the highest paid fighter in the UFC has began to rub people the wrong way and begin to speak up. Fellow fighter Fabricio Werdum even went on to say "Conor started out well  but then he went over the line, he started talking about Jesus. He just looks like a clown. In Brazil, we call them prostitutes, because they do anything for money. He’s a sellout. Of course it’s important to fight for money, but that guy will sell out for anything. I wouldn’t doubt he would sell out his ass. I wouldn’t do it.” Ouch.

5. He crosses the line

In any sport, in any business interaction there is a certain unwritten protocol that all members pretty much follow. Apparently McGregor missed this memo, because he was not shy to cross that big red line and piss a lot of people off. Before UFC 205, McGregor spewed a few taboo words about Eddie Alvarez that sealed the deal for hatred towards this fighter. Conor said that he was going to make his opponent retire and that when he was done with him Alvarez's wife and kids would not recognize him. Family is off limits and everybody knows that. Alvarez's reaction to this was simple. He thought McGregor looked desperate.

4. The words that come out of his mouth

Like any famous entity, almost everything they say is noted and stored away forever. A man's quotes can speak volumes about their character. Whether it be good or bad, it's recorded forever, so the lesson to be learned is watch what you say. Whether Conor cares about this or not, some of his wildest quotes have been jotted down in history, and does not impress most people. In all fairness, there are some empowering and admirable words to once come out of the fighter's lips, but the ones that make your skin crawl definitely leave more of an impact. His words pack a punch and the definite truth, so some people just can't stand to hear it like it is. Keep your ears open for whatever shockers come from this one in the near future. He never fails to fuel the fire.

3. He backs up his smack talk

A lot of people hate to admit it, but McGregor can back up all the trash talk he spews. He is one of the rare fighters who is able to pull this task off effortlessly. Most people want to see a cocky character fail miserably and be humbled  and this just does not happen with Conor which drives people crazy. He proved this in UFC 178 against Poirier; he could have pulled out due to injury, but the fighter kept fighting on. He prides himself on being humble when he wins his fights. "I love proving people wrong and proving my supporters right. This is all fun and games to me. I love it. I love my job. I whoop people for truckloads of cash. How could I hate this life? I love it so much. I'm grateful every single day."

2. He's living the dream

In 2016, finally the Dubliner made the Forbes richest list, taking the 85th spot. He cashed in at $1 million for UFC 196 against Nate Diaz. The fact that he lost and still made this amount of bank sends steam through people's ears. His wealth isn't just limited to the ring, he is able to rake in the millions through sponsorships and advertising deals. Conor wants $100 million to fight Mayweather. The fact that this star, at such a young age, can request these amounts and be taken seriously is amazing. The jealously among the people who cannot do this is a reason why we hate McGregor just a little bit more with every paycheck.

1. He's changing the UFC

Whether you like it or not, nobody can deny that McGregor stepped into the UFC and completely changed the game. He does things his own way and is completely unapologetic about it. It has angered UFC followers as well as fellow fighters. His antics are memorable. He is insulting, aggressive, up front and tells it like it is. He has not followed the traditional rules the UFC prides itself on. He has made his mark in the spotlight and there is no turning back. If you are a McGregor hater, get use to it because there is only more success, publicity and crazy behavior coming your way from this guy. He has switched up the game of the UFC and people can't turn away.

Source: irishmirror