Conor McGregor will go for his second UFC belt in March. (Getty)
Conor McGregor’s next fight has been revealed. It’s at UFC 197, and it’s against UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos. The fight is scheduled for March 5th, and will share a card with Holly Holm taking on Meisha Tate for the women’s bantamweight title.
Once the fight was official, Dos Anjos was ruled a slight favorite for the bout.
Live odds on a possible fight b/w lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos (-130) and featherweight champion Conor McGregor (even).
Going up to lightweight is one thing, but moving up to fight Dos Anjos will be a real challenge. It took him only 1:09 to knock out Donald Cerrone, and has won five straight matches (three by KO). Because he’s moving up, McGregor has started as a small underdog for early betting lines. But because he’s McGregor, and because of his most recent performances, that line is starting to come around.
It’s a big decision for MMA, who have an important course to plot out for both McGrgor and Holm. After knocking out Jose Aldo, McGregor was called out by multiple fighters, including Frankie Edgar and Nate Diaz. Both would be entertaining bouts, but the choice is Dos Anjos, the hard-hitting lightweight champion. It’s a chance at history for McGregor, who could join fighting legends B.J Penn and Randy Couture as the only men two hold UFC titles in two different divisions.