Raiders star Maxx Crosby pens heartwarming message for Conor McGregor

UFC superstar Conor McGregor seems to have an admirer in Las Vegas Raiders' defensive end Maxx Crosby. The NFL player made sure to express his excitement upon meeting the Irishman earlier this month.

In a recent Instagram post, Crosby shared multiple pictures of himself with McGregor. The footballer lauded the UFC superstar for his spectacular career and achievements while also stating that the Irishman has inspired him immensely:

"Legendary Link Up… Mindset & Story Has Inspired Me A Ton During My Journey. Built An Empire From Nothing & Still Building. Great Meeting You Brother."

Conor McGregor's is a real rags-to-riches story. Prior to his UFC stardom, the former two-division UFC champion lived on social welfare checks from the Irish government. However, the 34-year-old is now one of the wealthiest mixed martial artists in the world.

He has also been successful in multiple business ventures. Perhaps the most notable of the Irishman's corporate outings was the launch of the popular whisky brand, Proper No. Twelve, in 2018.

'The Notorious' is currently coaching season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) opposite Michael Chandler. The duo is scheduled to lock horns in the octagon later this year. However, neither a date nor a location has been finalized for the event.

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Welterweight prospect Ian Garry says Conor McGregor has inspired the entire nation of Ireland

During an interview with BT Sport at UFC 285, undefeated fighter Ian Garry explained that it was Conor McGregor's exploits in the UFC that brought about a cultural shift in Ireland, elevating MMA's popularity over boxing.

The 25-year-old believes that McGregor's success was what inspired the Irish youth to take up mixed martial arts. Garry revealed he is one of those kids who was inspired by 'The Notorious':

"You [Conor McGregor] have inspired our entire nation to be where we are today. Everybody my age was obsessed with boxing and then Conor McGregor came along and changed our entire culture, where everybody started to join MMA gyms. I'm one of those kids that made that change because of that man."

He added:

"Anything I can possibly do, say, in that octagon to give some little bit of respect back to him, you can guarantee I'm going to do it because he deserves it all."

Catch Ian Garry's comments below:

At UFC 285, Ian Garry improved his promotional record to 4-0 by scoring a third-round knockout finish over Kenan Song. Following the win, 'The Future' made sure to pay homage to 'The Notorious' by doing the 'billionaire strut'.