Top 15 UFC featherweight Conor McGregor has been on the shelf since tearing his ACL in August, but that hasn’t stopped him from angling for a big fight for his return to the cage.
In an interview with Irish independent radio station News Talk, transcription per David St. Martin of MMA Fighting, “Notorious” spit some verbal venom at a few of his top rivals.
He took aim at Diego Sanchez, featherweight champion Jose Aldo and recent 145-pound title challenger Ricardo Lamas to name a few.
“I would love that (Diego Sanchez) fight, but he’s been getting his ass whooped in the past couple fights. I don’t want to end his career. He’s already slowing … The guy can barely string a sentence together. It’s time to call it a day.”
Sanchez, a winner on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter, has lost three of his past four fights and had very limited offense in his most recent outings against Gilbert Melendez and Myles Jury.
The 32-year-old brawler hopes to get back to his winning ways when he squares off with Ross Pearson on his home turf in Albuquerque, N.M., on June 7, per Thomas Gerbasi of UFC.com.
As for Aldo, the UFC’s No. 2 fighter in their official pound-for-pound rankings, McGregor is unimpressed with the Brazilian sensation’s 17-fight win streak.
“I think he’s basic. His movements are limited. He doesn’t do any crazy movements. There’s nothing that jumps off the page when I look at him. I thought that straight away. A lot of guys think he’s this and think he’s that. I certainly don’t.”
Currently ranked No. 14 in the UFC’s official featherweight rankings, McGregor is likely at least two or three wins away from a showdown with “Scarface.”
Additionally, McGregor was unimpressed with Lamas’ unanimous-decision loss to Aldo at UFC 169 last month, stating that the “The Bully” seemed content just to be competing in a championship bout.
“When he got the fight against Aldo he fought like he was happy he got the chance. He didn’t fight to win. He fought to compete. He fought for the chance. I’m not fighting for the chance. I’m not trying to just get up there so I can say I fought for the belt. I’m taking it. That’s my mind frame.”
McGregor, who has won 10 bouts in a row, is rumored to be squaring off with unranked submission specialist Cole Miller at the UFC’s July 19 event in his native Dublin, Ireland, per MMA Junkie.
Are McGregor’s criticisms all fair ones, or is the Irish striker just trying to fast-track his way to a title shot once he’s healthy again?
John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA editor for eDraft.com.
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