Nixing Notorious: Four Fighters Capable of Beating Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor has become the No. 1 target on a lot of new hit lists.

UFC standouts such as lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, and resurgent Nate Diaz, have made it perfectly clear that a matchup with “Notorious” is what they want. And considering that McGregor is the biggest draw in the sport today, who can blame them?

But no matter who calls who out, or which matchup make the most sense moving forward, the dynamic Irishman has final say when it comes to booking his next opponent. He has earned that right after knocking Jose Aldo out cold in 13 seconds at UFC 194 to capture the elusive featherweight strap.

In a perfect world, McGregor would fight every deserving name from 145-155 pounds. He has already proclaimed his goal to become the promotion’s first ever simultaneous two-division titleholder, so the sky is the limit.

But through all of these tantalizing super fights, who can actually defeat McGregor? With coveted draws and elite contenders on both the featherweight and lightweight rosters, who has the wherewithal to hand the transcendent star his first UFC loss?

Look no further. Here are four fighters capable of defeating “Mystic Mac” right now.

Frankie Edgar

McGregor has dismantled every featherweight on the UFC roster except one. Granted, a new and improved Max Holloway may stand a better chance than he did once before, but the last soul at 145 pounds for the champion to reap remains in Frankie Edgar’s chest.

The former UFC lightweight champion has done all that has been asked of him over the past few years en route to earning another shot at gold. This includes victories over top contenders like Chad Mendes, Cub Swanson, Urijah Faber, and Charles Oliveira.

Yet somehow, through all of the trashtalking between McGregor and the lightweight division, “The Answer” has been forgotten about. His tactical footwork, penetrating wrestling, elite ground-and-pound, iron chin, and relentless gas tank have fallen to the wayside.

In reality, Edgar is the greatest test in front of McGregor. He’s quicker, just as athletic, possesses comparable movement on the feet, and utilizes a perfected ground game that the champ likes to believe he got past opposite a short-noticed Mendes at UFC 189.

McGregor could certainly defeat Edgar if all things go as planned. But for a guy who has never been finished, commands a pace similar to a flyweight, and understands the mental aspect of defeating the cocky European, “Notorious” would have to elevate his game even further if he’s able to debunk the New Jersey native.

Rafael dos Anjos

There have been hundreds upon hundreds of fighters that have competed inside of the Octagon, but there have only been a few athletes who have evolved as rapidly as Rafael dos Anjos.

In a matter of roughly 20 months, the Brazilian has gone from a middle-of-the-pack contender to an unstoppable UFC champion. Fueled by a relentless pressure and polished striking arsenal, RDA has defeated the likes of Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone, Nate Diaz and Benson Henderson since mid-2014.

While his nice guy mentality and reserved professional attitude won’t land him in a war of words with McGregor, RDA would love to get his hands on the sport’s hottest ticket and further pad his growing bank account. And considering the strides he has made in recent memory, the lightweight kingpin may be a horrible matchup for “Notorious.”

If you look at the type of success dos Anjos reaped opposite crafty and precision-based strikers like “Showtime” and “Cowboy,” it’s likely that he could produce similar magic in a tilt with McGregor. Utilizing his bull-like advances, chest-to-chest pressure, and overpowering body shots, RDA would try to close distance and take away McGregor’s glorious distancing.

Jose Aldo had the same approach of rushing in with a combination and ultimately ate dirt, but RDA is a much stronger fighter than the former featherweight champ. It would probably be the greatest 30 seconds to ever begin a fight, no matter who comes out on top.

Khabib Nurmagomedov

If only undefeated Russian sensation Khabib Nurmagomedov can stay healthy, he’d probably already be the UFC lightweight champion.

As the last fighter to defeat current divisional titleholder dos Anjos, doing so on the heels of six takedowns and punishing ground-and-pound back in 2014, the 27-year-old has looked downright unbeatable during his UFC tenure. The only problem is that Nurmagomedov’s body isn’t as indestructible outside of the cage as it is inside of it, which may be a direct product of excessive training at American Kickboxing Academy.

Needless to say, if “The Eagle” is able to compete once again, he’d be immediately thrown into mega fights of all shapes and sizes, especially if the UFC is uncertain of his durability and longevity. They’ll want to strike while the iron is hot.

A matchup opposite McGregor will only make sense if the featherweight king moves up to 155 pounds and captures the lightweight strap from RDA during the Russian’s current hiatus. As the last man to defeat the Brazilian, it’s only fair that Nurmagomedov get the first crack at the two-division champion (presumably).

The gameplan for the Nurmagomedov would be as clear as a glass of water. He’d aim to avoid McGregor’s initial onslaught, close the distance (eating a few shots in the process), dump the Irishman on his coconut head (a Faber term), and proceed to bash him into the canvas. Mendes was briefly able to do this on two weeks notice back in July and he’s not even in the same class as Khabib when it comes to ground-and-pound capability.

Any different culmination would be a direct advantage for McGregor, as he attempts to knock out a fighter who eats harder punches in training.

Anthony Pettis

Personally, there’s no sexier matchup to make than a Mcgregor vs. Pettis lightweight title fight.

Despite a recent beating at the hands of RDA, “Showtime” remains one of the promotion’s best kept assets. He’s still young, still healthy, and sports arguably the most technical standup game in the 155-pound division.

While other McGregor hunters like Edgar and dos Anjos make more sense at the moment, Pettis is a win away from officially earning another shot at promotional tin. He fights the ultra-capable Eddie Alvarez later this month at UFC Fight Night 81.

Stylistically, Pettis vs. McGregor would be one of the best fights you could ever make. As a first option, both fighters would unload on their feet, taking their time to gauge distances, weaponizing their greatest athletic abilities, and taking turns showing off heaps of unorthodox attacks.

In that sort of collision, it’s truly anyone’s game. Pettis has never been finished by strikes, so it would be hard for McGregor to capture a victory outside of a decision. For Pettis, falling back on a near-elite grappling arsenal would be a game-changing backup plan if he attempts to submit “Notorious.”

It’s a dream matchup for the ages and one that could very well headline UFC 200 in July if all things go as planned.