'I don't see it being possible'… Conor McGregor warned he will not be allowed to jump for 'unfair' title shot after UFC comeback fight
02/09/2024 10:49
One of the UFC’s top welterweight contenders has warned Conor McGregor that he may need a bit more than one win to earn a world title effort.
The Irishman was the first two-weight UFC champion to hold both belts simultaneously when he won lightweight gold in 2016 less than a year after winning the featherweight title. He has since struggled to return to that form, and hasn’t fought in three years since breaking his leg.
After bulking up during his time away, McGregor is now aiming to compete at welterweight in a more serious capacity following two wins and a loss there during his earlier career. And his star power is such that he may get a fast track to a title shot once he has made his return to the octagon.
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Conor McGregor warned he won’t be given ‘unfair’ world title fight
Shavkat Rakhmonov is the next contender to newly-crowned champion Belal Muhammad’s welterweight title. He currently ranks at number three behind Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman, both of whom lost their last title bouts.
But the Kazakh star could find himself losing out to a fan favorite like Conor McGregor if he shocks the world with a big victory in his inevitable comeback. However, speaking with MMAFighting, Rakhmonov didn’t seem overly worried about the prospect, insisting it wouldn’t be fair.
"To be honest, I don't even think about when's Conor going to fight or when he's going to be ready,” he claimed. “I don't think about all that.
“He's been getting ready to fight for a long time but hasn't [been] able to do that yet… I don't even think about him winning this one fight in three years is gonna do something.
“I understand he's a big star, but in my head, I don't see it being possible, you know. I think UFC is the most fair organization, so I believe they're gonna do everything right
Conor McGregor return announcement teased as Dana White promises news
The likelihood of a McGregor comeback fight seems to be getting better and better, with the Irishman making a keen effort to return at UFC 310 in December. That wasn’t looking good until late last month when Dana White went from not backing him to return to beginning talks.
The Irishman made a public push on social media for a December fight date, having pulled out of his UFC 303 meeting with Michael Chandler over a broken toe in July. And White seemed much more positive in a recent live stream regarding his next moves.
Last Wednesday, the UFC CEO took part in an Instagram live video, in which he revealed there will be news regarding McGregor's return soon. "We talked about Conor today. We got Conor news coming up," he told fans when asked.
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