Whether you love him or hate him, Conor McGregor is leading the way in mixed martial arts right now, but one welterweight contender in particular is hoping the Irishman loses to Rafael dos Anjos…
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor is certainly not in the fight business to make friends. His outspoken manner has seen him both revered and despised by certain sects of mixed martial arts fans, but in fairness to McGregor that’s the case with most fighters. The hopes of the Irish nation firmly rests on his shoulders as ‘The Notorious’ takes on Rafael dos Anjos for the 155-pound title at UFC 196, and they’ll be hoping for a repeat performance of his stunning KO victory over Jose Aldo at UFC 194.
McGregor’s draw to even the casual fan is undeniable, but his appeal to certain fighters is limited to say the least. One welterweight contender in Demian Maia is actually hoping for ‘The Notorious’ to get beaten by RDA, and it all stems from some of the Irish striker’s recent comments. He revealed that he wants a crack at Robbie Lawler’s welterweight belt if he is able to top dos Anjos, and the sixth ranked 170-pounder Maia is not keen on the idea.
Here’s what the Brazilian grappling ace told MMAFighting.com just yesterday:
“(It would be) Sad (if McGregor got a shot against Lawler), you know, because that’s crazy,” Maia said. “We are athletes, and we work very hard in our way to the title. I understand that this fight would make a lot of money, but as an athlete, I don’t agree with that. I can’t disagree more.
“If you think okay, you gotta work, do a couple fights at least to prove that you can fight because it’s a different division. But, at the end of the day, I don’t think he will win against Rafael.”
“It’s too much weight difference,” he said. “I think it’s a different body type. Rafael is very tough, he proved that in his last fights. I’m sure (Conor) has his chance, of course. He proved that against Aldo.
“Most people that understand the sport didn’t think he was going to win, and he did in a fashion way. It was crazy. I was shocked. I went to the corridor to watch the fight, just relax, and when the things happened I was shocked. I was really, ‘what the f—’.”
“Yeah, I will,” said Maia when asked if he would be pissed if McGregor gets a shot at the welterweight title.
“I hope he doesn’t win (against dos Anjos),”
“Give me that title shot if I win,” said the Brazilian. “If I win that fight I wanna fight for the title. Forget about McGregor.”
McGregor might disagree, but to a certain extent Maia is right for the wrong reasons. Yes money is more important to the UFC and that sucks, but the effect on the featherweight division if he Conor takes a fight at welterweight could be devastating. Sure, the promotion could run an interim title, but will they do that for a trilogy maker between Chad Mendes and Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar perhaps?
That said, a three weight world champion would just be insane.
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