Now that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion Conor McGregor is done with his pursuits in the “sweet science,” which ended in a tenth-round technical knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last month in Las Vegas, Nevada, the mixed martial arts (MMA) world wants to know what “Notorious” plans to do next.
We may find out here.
One of his options is a rubber match against welterweight nemesis Nate Diaz, who split a pair of fights with the power-punching Irishman at UFC 196 and UFC 202. Or perhaps a trip to Mother Russia to battle top contender Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is expected to return to UFC later this year.
That would leave top lightweight contender Tony Ferguson even more furious than he already is, because “El Cucuy” is trying to establish himself as the best fighter in the division but like the rest of the 155-pound roster, is at the mercy of McGregor and his ever-changing whims.
From his conversation with Submission Radio:
“Fuck that Nate Diaz three shit. Nate don’t want to fight. He’s trying to recover from a fucking hit that he took with his management and all that other things. McGregor’s gotta defend or vacate. He’s gotta defend that belt, he needs to come back. If not, there goes his legacy, there goes the UFC shit. I mean, really, legitimately, why do we have rankings? Why do we have a belt system? Why do we have all this other stuff? If you guys really wanna get gangster, let’s do that shit. If you want to fucking put on money, let’s put it on paper, Nate. I will fucking Stockton slap the shit out of you kid. You don’t fucking know me, dude. Straight up. Same thing with Conor McGregor. You guys are a bunch of bitches and you guys are a bunch of fakes. If you wanna fight while we’re here in the UFC, why don’t you come and sign on the dotted line after you get your shit together and defend your fucking belt, Conor.”
Diaz was already slapped … with a million-dollar lawsuit.
With McGregor out of action, the promotion sent Ferguson into an interim title fight against fellow lightweight contender Kevin Lee. They’ll do the deed in the UFC 216 pay-per-view (PPV) main event next month in Las Vegas, though UFC President Dana White won’t guarantee the winner a shot at McGregor.
It’s not as crazy as it sounds.
Well it is, but it’s pretty normal ‘round these parts. Robert Whittaker won the interim middleweight title by turning away Yoel Romero, but Michael Bisping will not face “The Reaper” until he’s done with former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre when they throw down at UFC 217 in New York.
That’s the difference between sport and prize fighting.