McGregor Forever (2023) Mini Series Review

RATING: 5/10

WITH his next UFC fight slated for the second half of 2023, Conor McGregor has highlighted his rehabilitation in Netflix's latest docuseries. But while there are many elements that will interest fans of the combat sport, newcomers may find it harder to relate to the larger than life personality that is Conor McGregor.

The four episode documentary gives audiences an extended look into the multi-time UFC champion Conor McGregor as he continually prepares for his next fight. But over the course of the series, his struggles become more prominent as he deals with an injury which nearly cost him his professional career, as well as his deteriorating mental state as he tries to provide for his family which allows him to grow from his cocky beginnings into a battle-hardened veteran whose on the verge of his last run.

McGregor Forever is at its best when it tackles the personal side of the Irish superstar, unfortunately, it is a long journey to reach these sentimental moments alongside family members. It is clear from his personality that Conor is a caring husband and father as they bring out the best of him; a more loving and tranquil Conor that isn't trying to sell tickets or rile up his opponents. The premiere episode does also dive into McGregor's early upbringings and how he got into mixed-martial arts, including highlights from his first UFC fight over a decade ago, showcasing his dominant first round win which would eventually lead to his "notorious" moniker. Sadly, the series only goes downhill from here.

Episodes 2 to 4 effectively tell the journey Conor has went through; the only problem is that it is the same journey he went through in the premiere. McGregor Forever limits itself to a mundane routine as it will explain the lead-up to the fight, the fight will happen, and Conor will learn from his mistakes no matter if he won or lost -- rinse repeat for nearly 3 hours. To the series' credit it does change things up in the second episode due to Covid-19's effect on the UFC, but this astronomical shift in the world doesn't factor into Conor's story and feels more like a story about the UFC rather than one about the fighter. The final episodes do brings things back down to earth by following McGregor and his ever-growing family, and while these episodes do feature the best of McGregor's humbleness, it also fails to balance this alongside the training and fighting in a natural manner.

Awkward cuts and monotonous dialogues let down what could have been a monumental docuseries. If released after the inevitable retirement of Conor McGregor, this Netflix documentary could've had the potential to be on the same level of quality of other sports documentaries such as The Last Dance, but as it currently stands, McGregor Forever feels unfinished and heartless. As a fan of the notorious one, I was expecting more than what was given as this documentary feels corporately created in order to hype up Conor's impending 2023 fight. McGregor Forever certainly points out his flaws as a person and criticises his eccentric traits, all while promoting his ego as his greatest strength. This contradicting and disingenuous idea oozes throughout the series and is what truly brings down the quality in the end.