Following Conor McGregor’s dramatic submission victory over Justin Gaethje at UFC 274, Charles Oliveira issued a challenge to the legendary UFC fighter. The Brazilian was instead slated to compete against Islam Makhachev for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 280, according to the UFC.
To end Oliveira’s amazing 11-fight winning streak, Makhachev submitted Oliveira in the main event of UFC 280. McGregor, on the other hand, has been healing ever since fracturing his tibia and fibula at UFC 264 in July 2021. According to his management, he will make a comeback in 2023.
Before UFC 283 in Brazil, several UFC fighters took part in a Q&A session in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Who among Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, or Rafael dos Anjos has the best chance of defeating Conor McGregor, a fan questioned the MMA competitors on stage.
Alex Pereira, the freshly minted UFC 185-pound champion, asserted that each opponent has an equal chance of overcoming “The Notoriou,” but Jose Aldo joked that with Conor McGregor’s bulked-up build, “Poatan” had a good chance of knocking him out.
Conor McGregor, with whom Rafael dos Anjos was scheduled to square off at UFC 196 in 2016, allegedly picks and chooses his fights:
‘Conor selects his battles,’ This war is desired by all since it will be profitable. He selects his battles. He will select that fight if he believes it is the right one for him. We’ll be waiting, but in the meantime, we’ll battle on.
In support of Dos Anjos’ assertion that McGregor has been avoiding a confrontation with him, Charles Oliveira stated:
McGregor has long since given up. He chooses his fights by hand, just like Rafael said. I believe he observes the man and concludes, “I can defeat this one,” before signing the agreement. He’s smart not to challenge me since he understands what will happen.
Michael Bisping asserts that Conor McGregor is still relevant enough for a UFC title opportunity
Conor McGregor has lost two fights in a row to Dustin Poirier and has a record of 1-3 since 2018. The Notorious has also been out of action for for a year and a half, recovering from a broken leg while teasing a prominent comeback.
Conor McGregor continues to be the most prominent figure in the sport despite his defeats and extended absence. During a recent fan Q&A on Michael Bisping’s YouTube account, a viewer indicated that the Irishman would probably need to defeat Dustin Poirier before making a championship challenge.
But Michael Bisping is adamant that McGregor will have the opportunity to compete for the title right away if he wins his comeback fight. The former UFC middleweight champion said the following on his YouTube page:
“Conor is still the biggest star in the sport, whether you like it or not, so listen up, friend. And after one victory, you can bet your last dollar that he will compete for the title. He is, of course. And the truth is that, if you were the organization’s owner and possessed a man like Conor who could generate millions of pay-per-view purchases, you would probably take the same course of action. Although I disagree with it, that is the way the world is.”