Five Fights For Conor McGregor To Take Next

Conor McGregor picked up a huge win over his arch nemesis Nate Diaz in the main event of last night’s (Sat., August 20, 2016) UFC 202 from Las Vegas, even if it was by a close decision.

A second consecutive loss to Diaz – a tough and talented competitor, but not a top three fighter at lightweight or welterweight – would have been extremely detrimental to McGregor’s image. The “Notorious” one became the biggest star in the sport because of his unique personality, background, and, most importantly, his mouth. A loss would have made his hard-hitting persona, with which he intimidated and psyched out so many previous opponents, a much tougher sell to the buying public.

But with the close yet convincing victory over Diaz, McGregor can breathe a sigh of relief knowing he is unequivocally still the biggest draw in MMA, and he can call his own shots to at least some extent.

With that in mind, here are the five fights that make the most sense for McGregor to take next.

5. Georges St. Pierre

The greatest welterweight of all time has been flirting with a comeback for some time now. Who better to come out of retirement against than the champion of “moneyweight,” Conor McGregor?

“Rush” has said that he is interested in big fights more than anything else, and this would be unquestionably the most lucrative fight he could take at the moment. New welterweight champion Tyron Woodley campaigned for a fight against St. Pierre for his first title defense, but Dana White and Co. appear to have shot that down in favor of number one contender Stephen Thompson.

With a welterweight title shot off the table and a dearth of huge stars at 170 he has not already fought, the only other fight that would make some sense for the Canadian superstar would be against a faded Anderson Silva. When the two were ruling over their divisions with iron fists, a potential Silva-St. Pierre scrap could have been the biggest fight of all time. Now, though, it would have significantly less luster, with Silva clearly on the downslope of his career.

That opens the door for a “Notorious” vs. “Rush” bout that could potentially break every box office record in the book. Both are giant stars, and St. Pierre’s return will undoubtedly do big money regardless of who it is against.

The fight would be a difficult stylistic matchup for McGregor. GSP is a true welterweight, unlike Diaz, and has one of the best power wrestling games in history. Still, McGregor would have little to lose in such a fight, and he could very well make double-digit seven figures.

4. Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone

When Rafael dos Anjos withdrew from his UFC 196 title defense against McGregor, Cerrone was one of the many fighters to throw his hat into the proverbial ring for a shot at “Notorious.”

Since his failed attempt to capture “Red Panty Night,” Cerrone has continued his torrid run at welterweight, knocking out Patrick Cote and Rick Story. Neither 170-pound stalwart had ever been stopped by strikes before. Since his UFC career began back in 2011, “Cowboy” has established himself as the preeminent action fighter and company man, making him one of the best known and most loved fighters in the sport.

Whether McGregor wanted to continue fighting close to his “walking around weight” of 170 pounds or make the long-awaited transition to 155, Cerrone could be there to greet him. If McGregor is through cutting to 145 and wants another big money fight before diving into another title picture, Cerrone would be the ideal foil for the Irishman.

3. Eddie Alvarez

McGregor has long predicted that he will become the first man to hold UFC championships at different weight classes simultaneously. Going for it now might be his best chance of making that historic achievement a reality.

Should he return to featherweight to rematch newly minted interim champion Jose Aldo, there is no guarantee he would leave the Octagon with his belt. Aldo looked sensational at UFC 200 on July 9, easily dispatching fellow pound-for-pound standout Frankie Edgar over five rounds. The shocking 13-second knockout loss Aldo suffered at the hands of McGregor seemed to harden Aldo’s resolve rather than shake it. McGregor would be putting his historic plans in serious jeopardy by agreeing to face Aldo before challenging for the lightweight title.

Furthermore, Eddie Alvarez has already called for McGregor to be his next challenger. Now that the Irishman has avenged his loss to Diaz, he has the momentum to call for a lightweight title shot once again. And apologies to all other 155-pound contenders, but none of them would make as lucrative a fight as McGregor.

An Alvarez vs. McGregor battle would undoubtedly make for a fun fight with historic implications. Before McGregor puts the one belt he does have on the line, it might make sense for him to go for that second one.

2. Trilogy Fight With Nate Diaz

This fight seems destined to happen, whether it be sooner or later. With McGregor evening the series at one fight apiece in an ultra-lucrative second fight, a third battle is a foregone conclusion.

The SBG Ireland standout already teased a trilogy bout with the Stockton native, claiming that when they fight again, it will be at 155 pounds. McGregor knows that Diaz makes a good opponent for him at the box office. Their personalities naturally clash, and they are two of the best smack-talkers in the game. The Irishman is undoubtedly happy to have gotten the win back from Diaz, but the series is still tied, and Diaz owns a finish over McGregor. His pride will require that he end the rivalry as the undisputed winner.

Diaz wants the fight as well, and can you blame him? The Stockton native made a disclosed $2 million in his second go-round with McGregor. He is unequivocally a bigger star than he was six months ago before meeting McGregor the first time, and it is dubious to think that he could pull in that kind of purse against a different opponent.

Fans will be absolutely salivating over the third fight, whenever it does get made. The rematch was a classic, with sky-high drama and gut-wrenching shifts in momentum. The stakes will be just as high a third time around.

1. Jose Aldo

Apparently, McGregor’s next dance partner is already decided. The featherweight king will finally defend his crown in his next appearance, and he will defend against his old nemesis, Jose Aldo.

Aldo secured the interim featherweight strap at UFC 200 with a dominating performance of Frankie Edgar, and with it, a second crack at McGregor. Arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet before running into a McGregor left hand, “Scarface” re-established himself as a force to be reckoned with with the victory.

McGregor’s mind games undoubtedly had an effect on Aldo the first time around at UFC 194 on December 12, 2015, and it will be interesting to see if he can repeat the trick. Since the humiliating loss, Aldo has taken shots at McGregor at every opportunity, campaigning for a rematch. Many wondered if he would be the same fighter after such an emphatic defeat, but the Brazilian came through with flying colors in cruising past Edgar.

If the “Notorious” one is to retain his 145-pound title, he will have to cut back down and defend it after two forays at 170. The jump up in weight did not garner him the extra belt (or two) that he desired, so with no new hardware to defend, McGregor has no choice but to put his only strap on the line. The Irishman still has designs on becoming the first multiple-division UFC champion, but he must first get through Aldo once again.