Conor McGregor‘s dream comeback at UFC 303 was shattered due to a toe injury. The Irishman was supposed to fight lightweight Michael Chandler, but it did not materialize. Given the circumstances, the ‘Notorious’ received massive criticism from fans and experts. However, former PFL champion and McGregor’s training partner Brendan Loughnane has a different view on the matter.
Ahead of the scheduled UFC 303 fight, Conor McGregor was seen in the pub. This prompted a lot of fans to raise questions about McGregor’s determination towards UFC. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Brendan Loughnane revealed that McGregor remains focused on his training. According to Loughnane, the multi-millionaire doesn’t need to fight but is obsessed with MMA.Â
I was in the training room with him, training every day, fighting each other….he doesn’t have to do this now. He’s touching billionaire status. He’s doing this out of the love of the sport.Â
Brendan Loughnane via The MMA Hour ShowÂ
McGregor last stepped into the UFC octagon almost three years ago. During this time, McGregor recovered from his injury and made his Hollywood debut as the highest-paid debutant. On top of it, he also became a part owner of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. With all these active revenue streams, McGregor is already on his way to becoming a billionaire.Â
Loughnane also mentioned that throughout his career, McGregor has fought through various injuries, and pulling out was the smart choice. Former champion Henry Cejudo also pointed out something similar and said this was a good sign for McGregor. While Dana White has stopped talking about McGregor’s return, many opponents would line up for the opportunity to face the Irishman.Â
The best opponent for Conor McGregor for his potential returnÂ
Conor McGregor is undoubtedly the biggest superstar in the UFC, and everybody wants to fight him for the ‘red panty night.’ However, waiting for the McGregor fight is quite risky, something Michael Chandler has realized now. Although Chandler is in contention for the return of Conor McGregor, other fighters could potentially fit in.Â
Who’s next for Conor McGregor? (via X)
McGregor vs Nate Diaz is one of the most popular rivalries in the history of UFC. Diaz’s coach and BJJ expert, Cesar Gracie, recently spoke with Submission Radio. During the conversation, the BJJ coach advocated the potential trilogy fight between Diaz and McGregor.Â
Chandler and McGregor is a good fight, too. But, I mean, just from the history of Nate and McGregor, I think it’d be a bigger fan fight if they had a trilogy. And in my opinion, that’s what I’m thinking.
Cesar Gracie via Submission Radio
Diaz recently beat Jorge Masvidal in a boxing bout and subsequently made McGregor $1.6 million dollars through betting. Both the fighters playfully mention that they are ready for the trilogy fight. If it happens, Diaz will have to sign a new UFC deal after hitting free agency in 2022. Only time will tell whether this mega-fight will ever take place.
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