Getty Conor McGregor poses on the scale during a ceremonial weigh-in for UFC 246 at Park Theater at Park MGM on January 17, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor wants to fight for the welterweight title against Kamaru Usman, and MMA analyst Chael Sonnen thinks the Irishman should be “praised” for his dream.
“I believe that’s the fight to make,” McGregor said to The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis. “I believe myself versus Usman for the 170-pound title for my comeback fight is the one I’m eyeballing at the minute. Now, I haven’t really said that to anyone, to be honest. I’ve only been thinking that the last couple days.”
McGregor is 0-2 in his last two fights, dropping back-to-back defeats to Dustin Poirier at lightweight, which includes his leg-breaking loss at UFC 264 in July 2021. McGregor is close to being fully recovered and he hopes to start MMA training next month.
“Notorious,” who is the sport’s biggest star, wants to walk right into a 170-pound title fight against “The Nigerian Nightmare,” and Sonnen gave his thoughts on the move during a recent YouTube video.
“Joe Rogan was talking about Conor McGregor’s callout of Kamaru Usman and Joe said and I quote the old adage, ‘Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it,’” Sonnen said via MMA Junkie. “Now, why?”
“Why should Conor be careful? What is it that Kamaru Usman or anybody for that matter can bring to the octagon that Conor McGregor hasn’t seen? Why should he be careful? Why should anyone be careful what they’re asking for, when what they’re asking for is an opportunity to take on the baddest man in the world. How would that not be praised? Why would that be cautioned? What is it you’re scared of? And if your overarching emphasis is that you’re scared that you’re going to lose and or get hurt, what are you doing in the tough guy business?”
Vicente Luque Sees Usman Dominating McGregor
Top-ranked UFC welterweight Vicente Luque doesn’t see McGregor having much of a chance against Usman inside the Octagon. He broke down the potential clash between McGregor and Usman while speaking with MMA reporter John Hyon Ko.
“McGregor, all that I would see on him right now is that he has great timing,” Luque said via MMA Mania. “So he’s able to time guys really well. He could hit Kamaru with something clean and maybe get a win. But other than that, I think Kamaru goes in there and dominates him and possibly, probably finishes him. Especially because McGregor doesn’t do well in five-rounders.
“His rhythm goes down, he just doesn’t look as good in the fourth and the fifth as he does in the rest of the fight. And Kamaru, man, he looks even better in the fifth round than he does in the first. So unless McGregor catches him with something crazy and Kamaru can take a shot. I’ve seen him get hit in some fights clean and he doesn’t even wobble. So unless something crazy happens, I see a win for Kamaru, a dominant win for sure.”
The Welterweight Belt Would Be McGregor’s Third Weight Class Title
If McGregor beats Usman for the 170-pound strap, he’d be the first fighter in UFC history to win three different divisional titles. He earned the featherweight championship at UFC 194 in December 2015 when he knocked out longtime king Jose Aldo with one punch.
At UFC 205 in November 2016, McGregor put on a striking clinic against then-lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, finishing him via second-round TKO and taking the 155-pound belt.