The biggest star in the UFC is wanting to make the walk at least a couple more times before the calendar turns over to 2022. Conor McGregor (22-5) is currently scheduled to face Dustin Poirier (27-6, 1 NC) in July at UFC 264.
That matchup will be the third installment of the rivalry between the two men. McGregor won the first matchup back at UFC 178 and then Poirier evened the score with a TKO victory in January at UFC 257.
Both men wanted to do the trilogy and that’s what were getting next. However, McGregor has made it known that he has bigger plans beyond the Poirier trilogy. McGregor had a fun question and answer on Twitter yesterday with his fans.
One of the questions that was asked was around his fighting plans for the rest of the year. When asked how many times he wanted to compete, the former two-division UFC champion said, “2 at least.”
Another question came in regarding his plans for those fights. To that, McGregor said, “I’ll have a few Proper Parties! It’s my birthday that week. Then the World title.” Make no mistake about it, Conor McGregor has his eyes on the UFC lightweight title.
I’ll have a few Proper Parties!
It’s my birthday that week.
Then the World title. https://t.co/ShFJ1PDyzU— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 9, 2021
Can McGregor regain the UFC lightweight title?
If you would have asked me a year ago about McGregor’s chances to recapture the UFC title, I wouldn’t be very confident. I’m in the group that believes Conor McGregor is sensational, however, I’m not sure he’s taking the belt of Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0).
However, with Nurmagomedov out of the picture, it’s a different story. At UFC 262 this weekend, Michael Chandler (22-5) and Charles Oliveira (30-8, 1 NC) will battle for the vacant UFC lightweight title.
The winner of that matchup will likely face the winner of McGregor – Poirier 3 in the fall. With that, the path is quite clear for Conor McGregor to once again become the lightweight champion.
However, it’s a very steep ask. I’m not sure you can put McGregor as the favorite after his last fight with Poirier. If he is able to get passed The Diamond, then he’s got a tough matchup with Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira.
Very different and difficult fights for McGregor. The odds are currently stacked against him, but McGregor’s proved the UFC nay-sayers wrong before. He just might do it again and walk out of 2021 the lightweight champion of the world.