Conor McGregor: ‘155lb Challenge With Nate Would Be Something’
Conor McGregor is back, headlining the first PPV of 2021. The ‘Notorious’ one faces off against previous foe, Dustin Poirier in a title eliminator fight at 155lbs. With McGregor returning to fight, another Mac Life interview has emerged once again.
During the interview, Oscar Willis quizzed McGregor on his future moving forward with the UFC (H/T MMA Junkie). Conor replied, stating that “I would like to put a stint in at 155 pounds, for sure. I came into the UFC as a featherweight and I went through the division. I gave it my all in that division and I tore through it like a chainsaw through butter. Interim title, then unified title. Then I went up and reached for greater heights, went to the lightweight division, became lightweight champion and became the first dual-weight champion in the company’s history.”
He went on to reveal his reasoning for not continuing his initial foray into the 155lbs division:
“Then obviously other things presented themselves, the Floyd fight and where it went. Then I went to the welterweight division, also. I never got a good stint at 155 pounds, a consecutive stint like I’ve done in the featherweight division. I would like to do the same here in the lightweight division that I’ve done in the featherweight division – give it a good run and tear through the division. There’s many good competitors, good fighters, in there, and I feel levels above them all. So I would like to put that stint in.”
As in most interviews regarding future fights involving Conor McGregor, the name Nate Diaz was once again brought into question. This query was buoyed by the fact that Dana White had recently stated that the UFC are currently working on a return to Lightweight for the younger Diaz brother. McGregor had the following to say about his former adversary:
“I think if he’s going to come down to 155 he should come down for me, to be honest with you. Nate’s a warrior, Nate’s a go-er, Nate shows up, steps up and fights. It’s not necessary, I don’t feel, to have him fight another 155er against another contender. I feel maybe it should be me and Nate, you know.
“If it’s going to be 155 we could possibly do that for the belt. If not, I’d probably just fight Nate at 170 pounds again. The reason being we fought at 170 twice. Why mix it up for the trilogy? But, if there’s belts and titles and loftier things on the line, I’m certain a 155-pound challenge with Nate would be something. So, many great fights and many great options, and I’m pretty excited about every single one of them.”
Whilst it is unlikely Diaz will leapfrog the Lightweight division straight into a title shot, it may only take a win or two for the Stockton slugger to position himself for the long awaited trilogy fight.
Who do you think wins in a potential rubber match?
