Speculation has spiraled more than ever when it comes to the return of Conor McGregor.
Road To Recovery
‘The Notorious’ is coming off a broken leg endured in his latest fight against Dustin Poirier. Tragedy befell McGregor at UFC 264 as his leg snapped while stepping backwards. He would somehow survive the remaining seconds left in the round, being pounded on by Poirier. But the doctor would be one to finish the fight, instantly calling a TKO stoppage win for Poirier in the fight.
Months after the loss, the injured McGregor is on his last leg of the race he calls recovery. In his time away from marquee main event lights, the Irish supernova is looking stronger than ever, equipped with a new physique as he plots his next move.
Who’s Next?
McGregor is mounting a return in mid-2022. And there’s a whole bunch of names the star can take on next. Whether his rebound lands in the lightweight or welterweight division, remains to be unknown. There is a plethora of talent he can face between the two weight classes, with McGregor showing his interest in a few contenders recently.
But, it is still a mystery on what team McGregor will pick and choose for his ‘welcome back party.’
Tempting Fights
Coach John Kavanagh leads the pack at SBG Ireland, home of ‘The Notorious’. The man who helped him win not one, but two UFC Championships, has some suitable candidates that Conor can try on for size.
“I’ll be honest, the Nate Diaz trilogy is very, very tempting,” Kavanagh said on The MMA Hour. “It’s a fight that gives me nightmares. The man doesn’t stop coming forward, whether it’s three rounds or five rounds, but it’s an intriguing fight. So that one is definitely very interesting. But also the Tony Ferguson one… it never happened. It was talked about a lot. And Tony still has, I believe, a lot to offer the game. He’s a very unorthodox striker, grappler. I think the buildup would be fun for the fans. So any of those kind of legacy guys.”
The List Doesn’t End There
Kavanagh wouldn’t stop at names like Nate Diaz and Tony Ferguson. The coach had a lot more in store. Maybe something that has to do with UFC gold? Who knows, time will tell. But before that, Kavanagh told Ariel Helwani a few more names he sees in the mix for McGregor.
“Look, that division is killer,” Kavanagh added. “Dan Hooker’s in there. The Islam [Makhachev] fight would be amazing as well, for obvious reasons. And we have whoever is going to win this belt (Charles Oliveira or Dustin Poirier) coming up this Saturday.
“So, look, any of those names. I’m just excited to see Conor back healthy, training.”
