The biggest question that is on fight fans’ minds these days is who will be the next opponent for UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor. Will it be interim titleholder Tony Ferguson who won the title over Kevin Lee this past Saturday night at UFC 216 or will it be Nate Diaz, who has already fought McGregor twice?
McGregor’s striking coach, Owen Roddy, recently stated that both fights are intriguing options. However, he prefers a third meeting with Diaz and thinks that fight fans feel the same way.
After his win over Lee at UFC 216, Ferguson took the title to call for a title-unification bout with McGregor, who has not been seen in the world famous Octagon since last November at UFC 205 when he defeated Eddie Alaverez for the lightweight title. He last competed in August in a boxing bout against Floyd Mayweather to which he lost by 10th round RKO.
Roddy discussed McGregor’s options during a recent appearance on Submission Radio (transcript courtesy of MMA Junkie).
“He’s good, obviously,” Roddy said of Ferguson. “He wouldn’t be the interim champion if he wasn’t good. His style is, you know, it’s not traditional. It’s a bit unorthodox and stuff, but I just honestly think that Conor’s going to be way too clean for Ferguson. If Ferguson tries to stand with Conor for an extended period of time, it will be lights out, in my opinion.
“You know, he’s tough as well. He’s tough and durable, so he may take a couple of smacks, but at the end of the day, Conor’s going to be way too clean and too technical. … He won’t get touched. That’s my opinion. But yeah, it will be an interesting one, and it will be an exciting fight as well because Ferguson does come to fight, and he’s aggressive. He goes in. He looks to finish fights. So it will be exciting. But yeah, without a doubt if he wants to stand and bang with Conor, it’ll be lights out fairly quick, I think.”
Rowdy is expecting the UFC lightweight champion to return in the first quarter of 2018 and that a lot of fans would prefer to see the trilogy fight with Diaz over McGregor fight Ferguson.
“I honestly think that people would rather – like, I think people would rather see Conor vs. Diaz,” he said. “I just think it’s a more exciting fight for everybody. It’s the trilogy. The first two fights, the back and forth between the guys and the way the fights went – you know, who wouldn’t want to see the third fight? But of course, it makes sense that he fights (Ferguson), he defends the belt.
“Whatever happens, I don’t know, but I said this already: I would like to see (McGregor-Diaz 3). The Ferguson fight is an interesting one as well. Like, he’s an exciting fighter so it will be an exciting fight. So either or, either or.”
“I think even Conor said himself that he’s got unfinished business in the octagon and he wants to go back and defend his belt,” Roddy said. “So yeah, I think that’s what’s going to happen. Is he done with boxing? Probably not. If the right fight comes up and the right money’s on the table, I’m sure he would jump in and go again. You know, without a doubt. So who knows what next year is going to be like anyway? It’s going to be bigger than 2017 anyway. That’s what I imagine.”
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