He basically used fighting to become a household name. Now he's a brand unto himself, basically what transcending the fight game means.
Even losing the biggest fight ever hasn't hurt him in the eyes of the public, which just blows my mind.
Ronda's a household name, Tyson is a household name, Ali is a household name, hell, Canelo is a household name in the Mexican market. It isn't hard to become a household name as an athlete.
Obviously he's charming and entertaining to listen to, but he became a household name because he comes from an under represented national in the athletic world. Americans just expect to be dominant, it's much more difficult to gain traction as one. They are celebrating Irish heritage, not Conor Mcgregor.