Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Conor McGregor is likely holding out for a rematch with rival Khabib Nurmagomedov and fight fans know why. “Notorious” lost to Khabib in decisive fashion last October at UFC 229 and believes he has what it takes to hand the undefeated Russian his first career loss.
Despite his interest in a rematch, UFC seems reluctant to grant their biggest star another shot at Khabib’s shiny UFC lightweight championship. Instead, Nurmagomedov will unify his belt with interim titleholder Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 this September.
The matchup between Khabib and Poirier is interesting in its own right, but even more so when you consider the ramifications it has on McGregor’s immediate UFC future. While the promotion will likely demand a win from “Notorious” in order to land a rematch with Khabib, the same can’t be said about a title fight with Poirier. After all, McGregor knocked “Diamond” out in their featherweight bout back in 2014.
Because of this, there’s a really good chance McGregor is hoping that Poirier defeats Khabib at UFC 242 and opens up another potential rematch. At least that’s what former UFC champion and current UFC color commentator Michael Bisping believes.
“If I’m McGregor, he’s probably hoping and praying that Poirier beats Khabib in Abu Dhabi,” Bisping said during a recent episode of his Believe You Me podcast,. “Because if Poirier beats Khabib, obviously we all know Conor has that massive win over Poirier. He did it very, very easily. He made short work of Poirier back in the day. Alright, it was at 145, it was a long time ago, but even still, if Poirier wins there’s a possibility of setting up that rematch. That’s his shot and easier shot at the title.”
While McGregor’s clearest path to another UFC lightweight title shot may in fact go through Poirier that doesn’t mean the promotion is completely shutting the door on a rematch with Khabib. After all, the first matchup broke the UFC record for most PPV buys.
“I don’t know if he gets that fight,” Bisping said. “Even if Khabib wins I don’t think he gets the rematch. The Poirier fight, definitely, I can see them doing that.
“I don’t [see them doing the Khabib rematch]. From the UFC’s perspective, they’re going to do it because it was the biggest pay-per-view they’ve ever done and the rematch is going to be even bigger. Simple as that. Rematches sell, especially with the amount of bad blood, especially with what happened after the fight outside the Octagon last time. The rematch will be huge. I just think Conor has to win another fight first. But at the same time, money does talk. . .
“Maybe. Maybe. Because A) as I said before, the numbers were massive so why wouldn’t they want to do that again? B) The public will buy it. They will 100 percent lap that up. It all depends on whether Khabib gives it to him. And honestly, Khabib probably wants to. There is a good possibility.”
There’s no doubt that Khabib would like another opportunity to choke McGregor out, but there’s just too many title suitors currently crowding the lightweight ranks. Guys like Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje deserve a shot at the crown well before McGregor does so who really knows how this entire picture plays out.
That said, a victory for Poirier at UFC 242 could very well flip the division upside down and provide McGregor another option to hoist UFC gold.
What say you, Maniacs! Does McGregor vs. Poirier 2 make sense if Khabib falls at UFC 242?