McGregor and Devlin have been together for nearly a decade, through all the ups and downs of his UFC career. (Instagram)
Conor McGregor is one of the toughest, most physical fighters in the world.
He is nothing short of ruthless in the octagon.
It’s a completely different story, however, in real life. In real life McGregor is nothing short of romantic, a man who has self-admittedly found his path through love and frequently, and publicly, credits his long-time girlfriend Dee Devlin for his success on the UFC circuit.
Now, as McGregor prepares to square off against Nate Diaz at UFC 196, moving up from featherweight to welterweight for the bout, the Irish standout will have plenty of support in the stands. The only person he’s particularly concerned with though is Devlin.
Read on to learn more about the woman who has helped McGregor so much, her life away from the Octagon and the possibility of wedding bells in the near future:
Devlin & McGregor First Started Talking When They Ran Into Each Other at a Club in Ireland
Devlin, who also grew up in West Dublin, is one of McGregor’s biggest fans. (Instagram)
Both Devlin and McGregor were aware of each other and knew of each other for several years before they first started talking, running into each other at a nightclub in Ireland. It didn’t take long for sparks to fly.
McGregor described that initial moment, telling VIP Magazine, “I asked her to come over and we just started chatting. She seemed like a nice girl, and I like good girls.”
That moment was nearly eight years ago. Fast forward to 2016 and the pair are still going strong. One glance at either McGregor’s or Devlin’s social media pages is like a walk down romance road, an inside look into what the fighter is really like away from the octagon.
Now, as McGregor’s career on the UFC circuit takes off, Devlin can’t help but be proud of her long-time boyfriend. She said:
He’s always said that it was for us and our future, and that he’ll have us in the best of houses and the best of cars; I’ve always believed that! I always knew that this is where he would be. It makes me go a bit gooey inside when he says that he’s working hard for me. I suppose he is romantic, he has good intentions!
The pair have been incredibly open about their relationship throughout McGregor’s career and even appeared together in the RTE2 show The Notorious in Ireland. No doubt Devlin will be in the crowed when McGregor faces off against Diaz at UFC 196 in Las Vegas.
She Helps Manage McGregor’s Finances & UFC Winnings
McGregor is the first to admit he has expensive spending habits and Devlin makes sure to curb those. (Instagram)
McGregor has a tendency to spend rather than save. A native of the more-than-tough streets of West Dublin, the UFC star is almost always ready to buy the latest and greatest gadgets available. And, more often than not, Devlin is the recipient of some of those gadgets. She tweeted in April 2015:
But while $30,000 watches with diamonds on them are certainly a wonderful present, Devlin does her best to reign in her boyfriend’s monetary habits.
According to McGregor, Devlin works for him now and one of her most important roles is managing his finances. He was quoted by MMA Fighting in 2015, saying, “She has helped me throughout this career…If It wasn’t for her, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today…So definitely, I love to spoil her…She does not work anymore, I hired her to the business…She works for me now and collects the cheques.”
The Pair Are Anxious to Start a Family
Although kids aren’t in their immediate future, McGregor and Devlin are anxious to be parents. (Instagram)
Let’s just say that McGregor isn’t satisfied with being the only fighter in his family. In fact, he’d like to start a whole mini-army of UFC fighters and there’s no one he’d rather raise those fighters with than with Devlin.
He told the Wall Street Journal, “I feel like I’ll spawn a few world champions.” Well, that’s direct enough. Still, Devlin has to admit that being the other half in a fighting-first relationship, and starting a family, is more than just a bit nervewracking.
In fact, Devlin told the Irish Independent in January 2015 that she’s more nervous than ever watching McGregor fight. She said:
I find I’m more nervous now – the first time I went to see Conor fight there was 50 people in a room, and I thought ‘There’s no way you can be more nervous than this’ but each time it’s just getting that more and more nerve-wracking. Especially watching someone you care about getting in the ring – it definitely gets me in the gut I have to say.
That’s not to say that Devlin isn’t supportive. She might actually be McGregor’s biggest fan. She told the Independent that she’s always been certain that McGregor would be a success, adding, “we just always knew he was going to get to this level and every few months it just keeps going and going and going and the sky is the limit.”
