Conor McGregor said he’s considering a return at lightweight.
Even though he was ineligible to win the UFC lightweight title last night (a belt he lost on the scales on Friday), Charles Oliveira just proved he’s still the best lightweight in the UFC. He did this by weathering an early storm from Justin Gaethje before scoring a knockdown and submission win.
The win was Oliveira’s eleventh victory in a row. The finish extended Oliveira’s lead in the all-time stats list for most submission wins and most finishes in UFC history.
After his latest win Oliveira sent a challenge to Conor McGregor. The Irishman may not be the most appropriate choice for sporting reasons, but he could certainly give Oliveira the greatest amount of exposure to date.
It didn’t take long for McGregor to respond to ‘Do Bronx’. And he sounded non-committal, though interested, in a return against the Sao Paulo native.
I’m not sure I wish to cut the weight. I am really enjoying being built like a refrigerator. I feel I want to fight at this size just to watch it back lol. But I’d love to fight the Brazilian, 100%! I love Brazil and I’m unbeaten against Brazil. All KO’s. I’ve some thinking to do
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 8, 2022
“I’m not sure I wish to cut the weight,” wrote McGregor. “I am really enjoying being built like a refrigerator. I feel I want to fight at this size just to watch it back lol. But I’d love to fight the Brazilian, 100%! I love Brazil and I’m unbeaten against Brazil. All KO’s. I’ve some thinking to do.”
McGregor is 2-0 against Brazilian opponents. The first of those fights was against Diego Brandao in the main event of UFC Dublin in 2014. McGregor won that bout by first round TKO. The second win is his famous 13-second victory over Jose Aldo at UFC 194, which won him the UFC featherweight title.
McGregor has gone 3-3 since the win over Aldo (3-4 if you count his foray into pro boxing). During that span he beat Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title, though he was later stripped of the belt for inactivity.
The Alvarez win is McGregor’s only victory at 155 lbs. His losses at that weight include a submission to Khabib Nurmagomedov and two TKOs (one due to a broken leg) versus Dustin Poirier. McGregor’s only win in the last two years was in a welterweight bout versus Donald Cerrone.