With the UFC back in business hosting events and staging big-time fights, the question of Conor McGregor’s next move is never far away.
McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) had planned to have an active year in 2020 and kicked off his “2020 season” with a 40-second demolition of Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in January. But the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic forced sports across the globe into shutdown, taking McGregor’s plans with it.
But now, with the UFC hosting shows again – albeit behind closed doors – the Irishman is eyeing a return and recently took to social media to fire jibes at a host of top lightweights, including champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and newly crowned interim champ Justin Gaethje.
Speaking to British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn and former world cruiserweight boxing champion Tony Bellew on the “Talk the Talk” podcast, UFC president Dana White suggested the smart move for the Irishman would be to sit tight and wait for the title to be unified, then step up and battle for the belt again.
“I think that the best thing for him – I’m not saying this is what’s going to happen – but in my opinion he lets this Gaethje-Khabib fight play out, then he fights the winner,” he said. “I think that’s the smartest move for him.”
However, White admitted McGregor, who has also been linked with welterweight fights with Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal and defending 170-pound champion Kamaru Usman, may not want to wait that long. But he said the prospect of another shot at the 155-pound title appeared to make the most sense in the current climate.
“You know him. Maybe he wants to fight before that and if he does, we can figure something out,” he said. “But I think that’s the move for him right now.”
