With unsettled dust still floating around our ears and noses in the wake of Conor McGregor‘s UFC 189 victory over Chad Mendes, we already look toward the Irish fighter’s future.
We’re anticipating his next step—a showdown with UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, the fight he was originally scheduled for Saturday evening.
McGregor, now the interim UFC featherweight champ of the world, provides an obvious matchup for Aldo’s return. They’ve already hyped the fight and sparked a feud, and the unification of titles is a no-brainer from a business standpoint.
If you ask former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight title challenger Chael Sonnen, however, a McGregor vs. Aldo showdown isn’t so obvious.
In fact, it’s not happening next at all.
When asked when McGregor vs. Aldo would go down on an episode of SportsCenter which aired immediately after the UFC 189 main event, Sonnen provided a shocking response.
“I think this is a question that our president, Dana White, should answer and will very soon, but I’m going to go ahead and answer it for you anyway: That fight’s not going to happen,” Sonnen said. “It’s either going to be Urijah Faber or it is going to be Frankie Edgar. One of these two guys, in my prediction, will probably likely go through The Ultimate Fighter television series and then go into a fight with him (McGregor).”
That came out of nowhere.
According to Sonnen, the recent tussle between McGregor and Faber before the UFC 189 weigh-ins might get a sequel, this time inside the UFC Octagon. While that remains a possibility, Sonnen took it a step further, saying a McGregor vs. Edgar fight makes perhaps more sense for one key reason.
Sonnen added that “the UFC put out a pre-packaged promo immediately following the fight for Frankie Edgar, which leads me to believe—and he (Edgar) has kept his mouth very shut after being overlooked on this—I believe he’s got a backdoor deal, and his (McGregor’s) next opponent is Frankie Edgar.
“But I know the next opponent is not Jose Aldo. You can’t count on it (happening).”
On top of this, Edgar greeted McGregor inside the cage following Notorious’ UFC 189 victory, shaking hands with the night’s big winner and appearing to congratulate him.
After watching Mendes find success with his wrestling but ultimately succumb to McGregor‘s striking prowess, a fight with Edgar is intriguing. The former UFC lightweight champion has a limitless gas tank, incredible footwork and solid all-around skills built upon a wrestling base.
Mendes was a problem for McGregor in one department, but Edgar might pose a threat everywhere.
Still, it’s hard to imagine the UFC passing on the chance to set up Aldo vs. McGregor again. That fight was massively hyped and anticipated, and it feels like it must happen now.
If Sonnen‘s words are true, though, it’s not going down. Not any time soon, at least.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report as news of McGregor‘s next opponent continues to develop.
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