Betting websites point to Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz: The Search for More Money as the notorious Irish brawler’s next fight when and if he returns to active competition. As we know, the current UFC Lightweight Champion went on hiatus shortly after winning that title – which is a surefire way of having that belt stripped from him too – to count his gold or mend some shoes, or something along those lines. Trying to predict what Conor McGregor will do next is like chasing the end of the rainbow, but one thing is for damn sure; it ain’t gonna be Floyd Mayweather.
Vs. Nate Diaz III: Diaz of Future Past
The McGregor vs. Diaz saga was the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s 2016 Feud of the Year (does that mean it was all scripted?), their first fight was the runner-up for Fight of the Year and culminated in the 2016 Submission of the Year (and it was no Montreal Screwjob neither). Then there was the return match, which was to the original what Desperado is to El Mariachi. Sure it was cool and looked good and it was fun, but it was maybe a little too glossy and slick and overproduced for its own good, and lacked that sense of urgency, that catch-lightning-in-a-bottle feeling of the first installment. And do we even really need Once Upon a Time in Mexico?
Vs. Tony Ferguson: El Cucuy is Coming to Get You
Ferguson has won nine straight fights, and his last five bouts have been either Performances of the Night or Fights or the Night. Or both. Note that this is not Mike ‘El Cucuy’ De La Torre whose betting websites’ odds of stepping into an octagon with McGregor are about the same as those McGregor getting in a boxing ring with Mayweather; i.e., slim and none.
Vs. Tyron Woodley: Knock on Wood
T-Wood is the current UFC Welterweight Champion and, believe it or not, Mac has held that title too. Like, literally. Some UFC stooge had to go and fetch it from Woodley because McGregor wanted to pose with two belts after winning the Lightweight Championship from Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. Which begs the question, where was your featherweight title, Conor? Did give it to a bellhop as a tip? Sheez, no wonder they took it away from you. To his credit, though, it must have taken all of the restraint Conor is capable of mustering not to call himself a three-weight class champion.
Vs. Jose Aldo II: Battle of the Paper Champions
So they stripped Mac of the featherweight title because he never defended it – though, in his defense, that could have been because he didn’t remember where he put it – and gave it to Aldo because… he got KTFO by Conor in 13 seconds? And… not quite sure how to finish that thought. The point is, this match-up should be a given, at least in theory. After all, some might say McGregor never really lost the championship. But we beg to differ; if he hadn’t lost it, would he have had to borrow Woodley’s? Plus, betting websites must remember Aldo still has a date with Max Holloway on June 3rd.
