The month of November is very significant in terms of how the lightweight division is going to shape up going into the year end. The top four elite are all in battles that will determine, not only the destiny of the lightweight strap, but who is deserving of the next title shot. This seems like a straightforward plan, however the challenger for the belt is Conor “Mystic Mac” McGregor and neither we the fans nor the match makers or owners of the UFC are privy to his magic ball and what he sees as his blueprint for the division.
What many fans are drawing opinions on is: what happens if McGregor wins?
First off, if you’re Khabib Nurmagomedov or Tony Ferguson, you are praying that Eddie Alvarez beats McGregor. For me, it is the only way they’re getting a sniff at a title shot, because stylistically they are a nightmare for McGregor and he won’t make a ton of money for fighting either of them. Eddie Alvarez is a company man, an old school kind of fighter who values the rankings system and won’t put up a fight for large money in bout agreements.
McGregor has the ability to pick and choose opponents like a child eyeing up pick ‘n’ mix, and let’s be honest with ourselves, what we, “the fans” have borne witness to with the Irishman has been nothing short of phenomenal, so he does get a degree of latitude with the UFC/Dana White.
We, “the fans” know before the first punch has been thrown that if McGregor wins, not only is he a two-time world champion (kudos to him) but the moral fabric of the rankings system has been ripped wide open in the lightweight division and anyone is fair game to him.
At this juncture, I believe the fight that makes sense for McGregor – should he be victorious – is Rafael dos Anjos. The reason being is it’s a fight that was scheduled to happen but cancelled due to injury, and fans would like to see what would have the outcome been. From the Eddie Alvarez fight you know that dos Anjos’s chin is susceptible to a good punch and with McGregor’s shot selection and range it could be like shooting fish in a barrel. Plus, McGregor has also rated dos Anjos as a “bum version” of Aldo, and we all know how that fight concluded. This is regardless of dos Anjos’ loss to Tony Ferguson…
Conor McGregor loves a bit of controversy and is very good at pushing legitimate fighters to one side if he believes he won’t make a lot of money by facing them. You only have to look at the featherweight division, it has been on hold for a year, and to bridge that gap Jose Aldo is now the temporary champion – something that has not appeased fans and fighters alike, as there is no clear cut defending champion.
In conclusion:
If you are an old school fan who believes in the ethics of the rankings system and McGregor wins the 155lbs belt, you should hope he lives up to the chilling message he delivered this week to the lightweight division:
