Rising UFC prospect Lebosnoyani recalls training with McGregor at 17: 'I was gonna barf all over this guy'

Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani was a 17-year-old high schooler when his father called him mid-meal to say Conor McGregor needed a sparring partner — and the now-unbeaten UFC fighter says those two weeks left a lasting impression.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Lebosnoyani recalled the circumstances with characteristic candour. He had just finished what he described as the largest meal of his life at a Mongolian barbecue restaurant when the call came in ahead of McGregor’s first fight against Nate Diaz in March 2016. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m gonna barf all over this guy,’” he said.

The pair worked through jiu-jitsu rounds together for roughly two weeks — a stint that ended when McGregor linked up with Dillon Danis. For Lebosnoyani, it remains a defining memory. “That was the highlight of my high school childhood,” he said.

What struck him most was not the Rolls-Royces parked outside the gym, but what happened the moment McGregor stepped onto the mat. “The second he stepped on the mat, that whole persona, the whole ego, was just gone,” Lebosnoyani said. “At that point, he was at the pinnacle of his career, and it was extremely inspirational how humble he was to someone like me.”

The relationship has continued beyond that brief camp. McGregor sent Lebosnoyani a congratulatory message when he earned his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series, and has stayed in touch throughout his career. “He has a special place in my heart,” Lebosnoyani said, adding that he will always respect the former two-division champion despite the controversies that have followed him in recent years.

Lebosnoyani, now 12-2, has made a seamless transition to the UFC. He has won all three of his bouts inside the promotion, most recently claiming his first stoppage victory against Farman Hasanov at UFC Vegas 123 on 31 October.