Coronavirus: UFC’s Conor McGregor touches hearts as he joins fight against COVID-19

Dubai: Every time he has stepped into the octagon, Ireland’s Conor McGregor has brashly demonstrated just why he is regarded as one of the baddest men on the planet, punishing ever opponent who dares to challenge him.

The 22 men who have dared to share the ring with the man they call ‘The Notorious’, have felt his aggressive power.

But behind the lack of sympathy, contempt and foul-mouthed arrogance that he portrays through his MMA character, there appears to be a man with heart of gold and compassion, who is willing to help people in distress.

He strongly drove home the point this week by donating 1 million euros of personal protective equipment to be used in hospitals in Ireland to combat the coronavirus pandemic following a plea by the Irish Minister for Finance.

McGregor took to his twitter account to urge the government to impose a total lockdown on his country to safeguard Ireland from the deadly COVID-19 virus.

This was in response to a request from Irish Minister Paschal Donohoe who appealed to him to use his fame to promote social distancing.

In his detailed tweet, McGregor wrote: “Today I am purchasing myself, 1 million worth of personal protective equipment to be deployed to all the fighting hospitals in the Leinster region. Our most affected region to this date.

“May God bless over them and keep them safe!”

In his message to Donohoe he said: “I feel like we are moving in the right way, it just feels to me like it is not all the way.

“I urge all the way! ‘All in’ is the term we must use here. Bit by bit will cost us lives.

“To see what is happening here in Ireland and all across the globe is heartbreaking to me. I pray.

“God speed Minister and thank you for the message, and your service to our nation.”

With British Prime Minister Boris Johnson having put the UK into lockdown on Monday, McGregor begged Irish president Michael Higgins to do the same.