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The Monday After: UFC 189 win proved, undeniably, the legitimacy of Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor's technical knockout victory over Chad Mendes at the UFC 189 pay-per-view (PPV) event last Saturday night (July 11, 2015) in Las Vegas, Nevada, will go down as one of the all-time most unforgettable moments in UFC history (highlights).

But, before McGregor fell to his knees as he embraced the Irish flag, completely humbled after closing the show at UFC 189 and realizing what he had just accomplished, the balloon looked like it was about to pop for the Irish featherweight only a few minutes before that fight-ending sequence.

All the talking, the tailored suits, sunglasses, and Sinead O'Connor's live version of "Foggy Dew" weren't going to be able to save him from the wrestling and ground-and-pound attack of Chad Mendes, who held him down for the majority of the second round while feeding him punches and elbows.