UFC fighter Conor McGregor recently revealed he's been on a "spiritual journey" and credited God for "saving" him and compelling him to live a "life by God's Word."
The 37-year-old former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion spoke about his faith during a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship press conference last week in Italy.
"I'm not here just by chance. There is a higher power, God, that dictates my journey and all of our journeys. And I live my life by God's Word," McGregor said when asked if his personal journey connects with the spirit of BKFC, of which he is a part-owner.
McGregor has not fought in the UFC since 2021, when he broke his ankle during a rematch with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Known throughout his career for his brash, outspoken persona, McGregor told reporters he has undergone a personal shift.
"Since around that time that you mentioned, at the last event, I've engaged on a spiritual journey and I've [been] saved. I'm saved. I am healed," he said. "And, you know, on the back of that, the world is in for a treat. The world is in for a treat. My competitive spark that was once in my heart is now a roaring blaze. So I'm very excited."
BKFC President David Feldman publicly praised McGregor for making significant lifestyle changes.
"A lot of people in the world need to make changes in their life, and they don't because they don't have the guts to, they don't have the balls to, they don't have the fortitude to," Feldman said. "And I just want to take this time to take my hat off and commend Conor McGregor for making the kind of change that he had to make."
"It's not easy," he added, saying fans will see "the best Conor McGregor" when he returns to the UFC.
The fighter, who shares four children with his fiancée, Dee Devlin, has expressed interest in returning to competition during the UFC's planned White House card on June 14, 2026, part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration.
Throughout his career, McGregor has faced multiple sexual assault allegations, some of which led to arrests, though none resulted in criminal convictions.
In 2018, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct for throwing a dolly through a bus window, injuring several people. He paid restitution, served five days of community service at a Brooklyn church and attended an anger management course.
During last week's press conference, McGregor said he wants to "leave a legacy that can be looked upon as a lesson."
"You've seen with me what works. I showed what works, and also, I showed what doesn't work. Now I'm in a stage where I come back and show again what I'm about," he said.
McGregor is not the only professional fighter to profess Christianity in recent months.
Earlier this year, former UFC fighter Ben Askren embraced Christianity after surviving a 45-day coma during which his heart stopped four times. He shared how he came to faith after he was diagnosed with a severe case of pneumonia, which ultimately led to a double lung transplant.
"There was multiple times where they thought I was dead. Like I was dead, that's the other side," Askren, 41, said in August. "I woke up and I just decided I was a Christian. So, that's crazy."
"I went with my wife to church for 15 years because that was part of the deal. I said, 'Well, I'm not Christian, but I'll support you.' And it was really weird when I woke up, I'm like, 'I gotta do it.' You know? So, that was kind of weird," he continued.
"[I have] so much gratitude for everyone who's helped out. So many people have donated money, watched our kids, donated food, a lot of friends come and hangout with me — just so much gratitude for being around me."
