Conor McGregor, back when he first broke his leg, was insisting that he’d come back any moment and challenge for the UFC lightweight title. He has since bulked up, and claimed that he wants a piece of the 170-pound welterweight division, but recently deposed champ Charles Oliveira told ESPN that he would love to welcome “The Notorious” back to the 155-pound division. He had two good reasons: the paycheck and his legacy.
“[Conor McGregor] would be a very good fight for me.
It would put a lot of money in my pocket, and [at this moment] that’s the most important thing. And it would also be really good for my legacy, for me to have in my story. Regardless, if he’s coming from defeat or not, he’s a guy who’s made history, so I think it would be great, but it’s not just up to me. If it were up to me, this fight would already be happening.
Oliveira Demands “Profitable” McGregor Fight as “Good For His Legacy”
I have a daughter to raise. Everyone wants to fight Conor, it’s not just me who wants to. Everyone knows that fighting Conor is very profitable. I’m talking about money. And Conor knows that, that everyone wants to fight him.”
That’s if Conor decides to return to 155. Plenty of the top fighters in the UFC want a piece of McGregor before he retires, particularly as the Irish superstar is on a three-fight losing streak in the UFC. McGregor’s once-invincible aura is tarnished these days, but he remains a massive star in his own right. As a result, there is no shortage of opponents for the former two-division champ who see McGregor as an easy win and an easy paycheck.
Charles Oliveira is not wanting for opponents, either, with the likes of Islam Makhachev waiting in the wings for a shot at the currently vacant lightweight title.
““I’ve never ran from a fight and the lightweight champion is called Charles Oliveira. Is Islam a very tough guy? Yep. Did he fight big names? No. He’s on a big streak, but who did he fight?”
Islam Makhachev first looks like he’ll be challenging Beneil Dariush before Dana White allows him the chance to fight Charles Oliveira. The surging Russian fighter has long been touted by his team – including former lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov – as a future champion, and the crossing of these two paths feels all but inevitable.
Do you want to see Oliveira fight Conor McGregor? Let us know in the comments.
