Former UFC champion Conor McGregor may get the next title shot upon his return to the octagon later this year, according to his manager Tim Simpson.
McGregor has been sidelined since last July following his loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. After getting leg surgery directly after the fight, he is anticipating a return to the cage in 2022 against a to-be-determined opponent.
Outside of rematches with Nate Diaz and Poirier, one option that has been spoken about in fierce debate has been a lightweight title shot. UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira will face Justin Gaethje in his latest title defense later this year at UFC 274.
But McGregor has had his fair share of back-and-forths with both fighters. His banter with Oliveira has been cordial but focused on a title shot, while Gaethje and he are often hostile to one another on social media.
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Simpson gave his thoughts on why McGregor getting the next title shot may not be far-fetched.
Manager Tim Simpson Thinks Conor McGregor May Get The Next Title Shot
“Let’s see what happens in the title fight… Would you be surprised?” Simpson said. “The thing with Conor is he’s always had options. He’ll have options when he’s ready and regardless of everything else that’s going on in the division, he sells. He can fight anybody, regardless of what could be said is ‘right’ for the division. In the end business rules and he could step into that title fight if he wanted to.” (h/t SportsKeeda)
UFC president Dana White and the rest of the brass haven’t confirmed who they’re looking at booking McGregor against, which could potentially open the door for an unprecedented title shot for the Irish superstar.
Who do you want Conor McGregor to fight next?