The UFC is in line to get a golden egg from its new favorite goose, Conor McGregor. According to UFC President Dana White, the Irishman will be next in line to face featherweight champion Jose Aldo, should he defeat Dennis Siver at UFC Fight Night 59. The announcement was made during a media scrum for UFC 182 and was reported by multiple sources, including ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto:
Dana White confirms Conor McGregor will get title shot if he wins in January. Expect Dublin in May.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) January 1, 2015
The news comes as little surprise, as McGregor has been openly discussed as a potential contender for months now by UFC brass. The 145-pounder has amassed a 4-0 record in the Octagon (16-2 overall) and has put on electrifying performances against some solid competition in Marcus Brimage, Max Holloway, Diego Brandao and Dustin Poirier. Three of those victories were via knockout, while the fourth was a lopsided unanimous decision.
A win over Siver, an 18-fight UFC veteran, will represent his third victory over ranked competition.
While McGregor‘s title shot has felt like an inevitability for a long while, it once again leaves former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar out in the cold. Edgar, who gave Aldo a run for his money in 2013 at UFC 156, has posted three wins in a row, defeating Charles Oliveira, BJ Penn and, most recently, Cub Swanson.
While there was a fair bit of discussion regarding a second chance for Edgar should he beat Swanson (who was on an impressive six-fight winning streak at the time), he will be left waiting.
McGregor will face Siver at UFC Fight Night 59 on January 18, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. Check back in a couple of weeks for our full coverage of the event and its fallout.
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