If Conor McGregor can get a big win over a notable lightweight name, UFC commentator Michael Bisping is willing to be that a title shot will be his for the asking.
Combat sports has often eschewed the constraints of meritorious structure. Every big fight that comes around needs to get its own particular marketing push to get fans in the door. There’s no Super Bowl, no World Series, no NBA Finals. When it comes to fighting, the next match is only as big as the caliber of talent involved.
It creates something of a unique series of incentives for things like boxing and MMA—a need from promoters to find ways to give life to the careers of the fighters that fans are most likely to show up for. Despite the potential that they aren’t necessarily the best competitors in the world at the moment.
Even going by the UFC’s own deeply flawed ranking systems, Conor McGregor isn’t one of the best lightweight fighters in the world today (or welterweights, if he can’t make 155 anymore). The ‘Notorious’ SBG Ireland talent has picked up just one win in the last 6+ years, a quick TKO over a thoroughly past it Donald Cerrone. That doesn’t change the fact, however, that McGregor is still one of the world’s most popular and well known athletes.
It’s that kind of math that’s got former UFC middleweight champion, and current UFC broadcast team member, Michael Bisping thinking. With the announcement that McGregor will face off against Michael Chandler—first as TUF coaches, and then in the Octagon—the ‘Count’ figures that a big win for the 34-year-old former double-champ would likely be all he needs to be back fighting for gold.
“If McGregor gets it done, will we see him fight for the title next? That is a given,” Bisping posited in a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel (transcript via MMA Fighting). “That is 100 percent. Just prepare yourself mentally for that. Regardless of whatever you think, he’s the biggest star in the sport. He’s a former two-weight division champion, and he’s a person that people want to see fight.
“So, if he goes out there and beats Michael Chandler, who’s one of the top-ranked lightweights on the planet, and he does it in exciting fashion, I’ll be honest, I’d have no problem with him fighting for the belt. McGregor vs. Chandler, I’m excited. Take my money already.”
While the UFC have officially announced the upcoming season of the Ultimate Fighter, featuring McGregor and Chandler as head coaches, they have yet to set an actual date for the fight itself. In fact, at least as of February 4th—when the announcement was made—McGregor had yet to re-enter the USADA testing pool, a move that will require at least six months and two passed drug tests before he can be cleared to compete again. The general expectation is that a bout between the two men will happen sometime this fall.