Who will McGregor face next after his impressive victory? JOE takes a look…
If you went without sleep and had a thoroughly unproductive Sunday, you more than likely stayed up late to watch Conor McGregor win via TKO against Dustin Poirier at UFC 178.
While JOE was in awe of McGregor following his very impressive first round win at UFC Dublin, we did get a sense that this latest fight would be a real test of McGregor’s legitimacy. Many experts had hinted that he had yet to face a credible opponent and that we would know after last Saturday whether or not he was the real deal.
I guess now we know…
The Notorious came flying out at the bell and defeated his more illustrious opponent just 106 seconds into the very first round. Nobody can deny the quality that Dustin Poirier possesses and this TKO via punches is proof that the Crumlin native is a force to be reckoned with in the UFC.
But what’s next for the Irishman? Does he get a title shot? Or does he have to win one more big fight to earn that right? Have a read below as we discuss what fights might be on the radar for McGregor.
The Loser of Jose Aldo/Chad Mendes
This seems like an each-way prospect at this moment in time. McGregor appears to be one big win away from a title shot and who better to face than the loser of next month’s title fight? Mendes and Aldo face off for the featherweight title in Mexico on October 25 at UFC 179.
Aldo has already defeated Mendes in his career and is the favourite to retain his featherweight crown when the pair face off next month. That would mean that McGregor and Mendes could be chalked down in the aftermath, and with the small war of words recently between the pair you can be guaranteed both would be up for the prospect.
History is against this pairing as the losers of title fights are more often than not pushed down the pecking order. However, keep an eye on UFC 179 because it is likely that McGregor will face at least one of these fighters over the next 12 months.
The Winner of Frankie Edgar/Cub Swanson
The fight has been billed as a #1 contender fight but with the recent rise of Conor McGregor, do not be surprised if the UFC are keen for him to face the winner of this pairing. Edgar is a UFC legend and is without doubt still a top class fighter while Swanson is of a similar pedigree. We don’t agree that the featherweight division is full of average fighters and has-beens; just look at these two if you don’t agree.
It will be slightly unfair on Edgar and Swanson if they don’t receive a title shot after their bout but this game isn’t about being fair. It’s about making money. In McGregor, the UFC have a star and they will be looking to cash in while his star is still on the rise.
Frankie Edgar is one possible opponent for The Notorious
The UFC, though, will be wary of angering their hardcore fans who believe that McGregor has yet to do enough to warrant a title shot. They may be forced into pitting him against either Edgar or Swanson and if he comes out on top, they will have no reason not to give him a shot at (we presume he will still be champion) Jose Aldo.
This fight is probably the most likely scenario considering the UFC will not want to pit McGregor against Dennis Bermudez or ‘The Korean Zombie’, Chan Sung Jung.
A Hail-Mary title shot
This will have many MMA fans scoffing at the thought but hear me out before you start saying I know nothing. This is a long shot, no two ways about it, but when you see the factors that are pushing towards a McGregor title shot, it suddenly becomes a hell of a lot less crazy.
Featherweight champion Jose Aldo is not a big Pay-Per-view draw and even his fight against the popular Frankie Edgar did not draw huge numbers for the UFC. Don’t get me wrong, he is an exciting fighter (see below), but the Notorious is a genuine big draw for the UFC. People either like him or hate him but they are lying if they say they don’t watch his fights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1L3tIATzBQ
A fight between Aldo and McGregor would surely entice fans, and even if Aldo was to lose next month, a title shot against Mendes would have a similar selling point. The UFC will be keen to make money on the Irishman while he is still winning. If he suffers a defeat before he can get a title shot you can be sure that his appeal will drop somewhat so the UFC will be keen to cash in on the hype train while it is still rolling forward.
Although not as likely as the other two fights, do not rule this out just yet…
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