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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Farah Hannoun

Henry Cejudo: Jorge Masvidal a good fight for Conor McGregor ‘because there’s really no grappling involved’

Henry Cejudo thinks Jorge Masvidal is the perfect opponent for Conor McGregor’s return.

With McGregor reiterating he will come back as a welterweight when he’s fully recovered from a leg injury, Cejudo sees Masvidal as the fight to make. McGregor and Masvidal both find themselves on losing skids and Cejudo thinks stylistically, McGregor could bounce back in a matchup against Masvidal.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) is the biggest pay-per-view star in the sport, and Masvidal (35-16 MMA, 12-9 UFC) proved he can be a draw himself, so Cejudo sees a fight between them doing great numbers.

“This is a good fight for Conor McGregor,” Cejudo said on his YouTube channel. “Why? It’s because there’s really no grappling involved. You want guys that can strike and that want to strike and don’t want to grapple. And plus, Jorge Masvidal he hasn’t won a fight – I think he’s on a three- or four-fight losing streak? Something like that? But I think Jorge Masvidal would be the best return for him, 170 pounds. They both have the mouthpiece. Just imagine how many pay-per-views they could sell.”

Cejudo rounded off his top-five list of potential opponents for McGregor by including the winner of the projected title fight rematch between champion Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman, plus Kevin Holland, Paddy Pimblett and Colby Covington.

So does that mean Cejudo thinks McGregor can just walk straight into a title shot? Let’s just say he wouldn’t be surprised if it happened.

“He’s earned it not though accolades, but he’s earned it through sales,” Cejudo said. “He’s earned it through the numbers. I think Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards would welcome him. That would be their No. 1 pick, so the champ should also have a say, too.

“At the end of the day, I wouldn’t be mad at it, but I kind of probably would be. I have mixed emotions, but at the same time, I feel like Conor has really earned his stripes. But it comes through sales.”

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