Conor McGregor has paid tribute to his ‘friend’ Sinead O’Connor, following the singer’s death at the age of 56.
O’Connor’s passing was confirmed in a statement by her family on Wednesday (26 July), though no cause of death was disclosed. The Dublin-born musician’s death comes just 18 months after her son Shane, 17, committed suicide.
O’Connor, most famous for her cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” (released in 1990), sang during McGregor’s walkout at UFC 189 in July 2015, and her compatriot paid tribute on Wednesday.
“The world has lost an artist with the voice of an Angel,” McGregor wrote on Twitter. “Ireland has lost an iconic voice and one of our absolute finest, by a long shot. And I have lost a friend.
“Sinead’s music will live on and continue to inspire! Rest In Peace, Sinead you are home with your son I am sure.”
O’Connor sang “The Foggy Dew” at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas as McGregor walked to the Octagon to face Chad Mendes. McGregor knocked out the American in the second round to win the interim UFC featherweight title.
The Irishman’s entrance that night (which you can watch below) is widely considered to be the most iconic walkout in UFC history.
McGregor, 35, would go on to become undisputed featherweight champion later in 2015, before becoming the UFC’s first ever dual-weight champion by winning the lightweight title in 2016.
O’Connor changed her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat in 2018 after converting to Islam, but she continued to perform under her birth name.
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