If, as is now looking increasingly likely, the UFC can’t close a deal for the highly-anticipated Conor McGregor v Nate Diaz rematch, this would leave a gaping hole in the Dubliner’s calendar. The good news is that McGregor won’t have to look very far for a money-spinning fight, having meticulously set wheels in motion for bouts against various opponents across numerous weight classes.
There’s little denying that McGregor v Diaz II is the biggest match that the UFC can make this summer but failing that, who do we expect to see The Notorious face off against in his next bout? Here are the top five contenders.
The Winner of Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar
The memories (or lack thereof) that Jose Aldo has from his bout with McGregor last December can be well and truly exorcised with a win against old foe Frankie Edgar in the co-main event at UFC 200. Aldo comfortably won their first bout in February 2013 but the tables have well and truly turned and this time around it’s Edgar who comes into the fight with the momentum having convincingly finished Chad Mendes six months ago. Both fighters have actively campaigned for a fight with the Irishman and whoever ends up with their hand raised will no doubt be in pole position to be the next date on McGregor’s dance card.
Rafael Dos Anjos
The fight that never was. In some alternate universe where the Brazilian 155lb champion didn’t succumb to injury last March, Conor McGregor is sitting pretty right now as a two divisional champion in the UFC and heading into UFC 200 challenging Robbie Lawler for his welterweight strap. In reality, RDA injured his foot and replaced by Nate Diaz. The rest, as they say, is history. While it’s certainly true that a proposed Dos Anjos v McGregor contest has lost a little bit of its lustre since the Diaz defeat, you would suspect that McGregor’s focus will be squarely fixed upon the lightweight belt again before too long.
Donald Cerrone
The man they call Cowboy is one of the more interesting characters in the sport. Cerrone is a languid kickboxer, a natural lightweight, who also flirts with the welterweight division and one of the few fighters on the UFC roster capable of galvanising his fans to a similar extent as McGregor. Winner of nine of his last ten fights (that sole loss is at the hands of divisional king Rafael Dos Anjos), Cerrone possesses similar size and range to Diaz and seeing as McGregor had trouble with Diaz’s length at UFC 196. Cowboy poses a unique challenge and, on paper at least, might be the most exciting fight for the fans.
The Winner of Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber
When the trilogy between bantamweight rivals Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber finally concludes at this weekend’s UFC 199 in California, the winner will place himself into contention for a McGregor superfight. Faber and McGregor coached opposite each other on a season of The Ultimate Fighter last year and while the two remained friendly with each other throughout, there’s little doubt that their rivalry wouldn’t need very much rekindling. Cruz, on the other hand, poses a much different threat to McGregor. Owner of some of the most impressive footwork in MMA Cruz possesses a similar mind-set to the Dubliner in that he’s a cerebral fighter, constantly looking to expose and take advantage of his opponent’s weaknesses. The prevailing narrative, according to many MMA fans anyway, is that Conor McGregor’s weaknesses have been exposed and this would make for a fascinating fight.
Max Holloway
The only person on this list that McGregor has faced before. Holloway and McGregor met in the Irishman’s second UFC fight back in August 2013, with McGregor winning a decision quite handily despite tearing his ACL midway through the second round. The rub? Max Holloway has won every fight he’s been in since then, eight in total, and has risen to become one of the top contenders in the featherweight division. Holloway faces former #1 contender Ricardo Lamas at UFC 199 this weekend and a win there places his right at the top of the division that McGregor reigns.
