Breakout UFC Debutant Reveals How Conor McGregor Inspired His MMA Journey
“The Notorious” is undoubtedly one of the most electrifying fighters the sport has ever produced. For most fans, watching McGregor was simply entertainment. But for the UFC’s new breakout flyweight, the Irishman lit a spark that soon became a roaring blaze, sending him down the path to MMA.
From Conor McGregor Fan to UFC Fighter – Bilal Hasan’s Unusual Journey
Long before the bright lights of the Octagon, Bilal Hasan was just a teenager fascinated by McGregor’s swagger, footwork, and charisma. What started as a casual interest quickly turned into an obsession with the Dubliner’s craft, eventually pushing Hasan to trade watching fights for actually getting into them. And, as he admits, some of those early fights were a little more chaotic than planned.
Following his sensational debut at UFC Shanghai, "The IndoNinja" sat down with Ariel Helwani for a candid conversation. And that's when the Washington-based fighter dropped his teennage years spent aspiring to be MMA's next McGregor.
"Right when I turned 17 to 18, I was just a huge casual fan. I just watched Conor McGregor, and I got super obsessed with you know how he was able to speak on the mic and just be super aesthetic with his performances," the 25-year-old said, brimming with enthusiasm.
“Like, I loved his footwork, and I felt like it was something that I could replicate coming from a martial arts background.”
Hasan’s McGregor obsession eventually spilled out of the screen and into his own garage. The teenager began challenging high school classmates he had beef with, turning those grudges into impromptu fights.
“So, I just got super obsessed with watching him, and I just started fighting a bunch of people, like, in my garage actually.”
Just 18 days after picking up a successful DWCS win, Hasan returned to action at UFC Shanghai and made quick work of Rojas. The youngster earned widespread praise for his second-round knockout, faking the jab before catching “El Rayo” with a clean cross that sent him crashing to the canvas.
He has already called out 12-1 Andre Lima for his next bout. Will he be able to moonwalk across the octagon after downing Lima? Well, the Fight Nation seems convinced that Hasan is UFC's next Flyweight king.
Hasan Reveals Demetrious Johnson’s First Advice After $100K UFC Bonus
A $100,000 bonus can change a fighter’s life. For Hasan (10-0-0, 1NC), however, the sudden windfall hasn’t changed what he wants to do with his money.
Rather than splurging through his first major UFC payday, the Hawaii-born is already thinking about the future. And when it comes to navigating the unfamiliar territory of suddenly having six figures in his bank account, Hasan has no shortage of people to lean on.
One of them is perhaps the perfect mentor for a young flyweight trying to find his way in the UFC, Demetrious Johnson.
For the unversed, the relationship between Hasan and “Mighty Mouse” goes well beyond sharing a hometown. Johnson has been one of the people Hasan looks toward for guidance as he begins his own UFC journey, and his advice apparently started with one of the least glamorous parts of making serious money: taxes.
“I’m keeping it pretty simple, man. I definitely want to invest my money,” Hasan told Title Fight. “I’m learning from guys like DJ. Like literally the first thing DJ texted me was, ‘Hey man, make sure to pay your taxes.’”
That might not be the advice a 25-year-old fighter expects after securing a $100,000 UFC bonus, but it says plenty about the influence DJ has on Hasan. “DJ is that type of guy,” Hasan added. “So, I just listen to these guys that are, quote unquote, they’ve made it. It’s really cool that I have their guidance.”
That said, there will still be a little room for the occasional splurge, though. “Maybe a little bit drip, that’s all,” Hasan ended it on a cheeky note.
