5 reasons why Conor McGregor shouldn’t get a title shot at 170 lbs if he beats Michael Chandler
Conor McGregor is the biggest star in MMA history. The Irishman has been at the forefront of countless milestones in the world of combat sports. He is the UFC's first-ever two-division champion and spearheaded the promotion's most successful PPV with UFC 229 selling 2.4 million buys.
Furthermore, he owns the record for the fastest knockout win in UFC title fight history. He even convinced Dana White to allow him to face the great Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a boxing match. Unfortunately, those days are long gone, and the Irishman is currently on the wrong end of a two-fight losing streak.
He is currently scheduled to face Michael Chandler at an as-of-yet-undetermined date. During a sitdown with popular MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, 'The Notorious' was asked if he wanted a welterweight title shot if he defeated 'Iron.' The Irishman welcomed the idea, but the list below gives five reasons as to why that wouldn't work out.
#5. There are more deserving welterweight contenders
The welterweight division isn't devoid of fighters who are chomping at the bit to earn a crack at the 170 lbs throne. It plays home to several mixed martial artists who are more deserving of a welterweight title fight than Conor McGregor. For instance, former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington comes to mind.
Daniel Cormier wants Belal Muhammad to get the next title shot against Leon Edwards, if not Kamaru Usman 🏆👀
Full story: sportskeeda.com/mma/news-danie…
#UFC #MMA | @bullyb170 https://t.co/bkzN0NIeAX
He is serving as a backup for the UFC 286 main event and is also coming off a win over 'BMF' champion Jorge Masvidal, which has kept him as the No.2-ranked 170'er in the world. Additionally, No.3-ranked Khamzat Chimaev defeated former title challenger Gilbert Burns last year, who is currently ranked No.5.
Belal Muhammad is another fighter who recently entered the title shot picture. He is at the helm of a 9-fight unbeaten streak with three wins over top 10 welterweights. Meanwhile, the Irishman has done nothing to earn such a title shot. Not only is he on a losing streak, but he has also spent the last two years nursing a crippling leg injury.
#4. Conor McGregor must at least beat a top-level welterweight to earn a shot
The closest thing to a welterweight that Conor McGregor has ever faced and beaten is former UFC fighter, Nate Diaz. Unfortunately, Stockton's finest is merely a lightweight who made the move to welterweight, where he was once ragdolled by former title challenger Rory MacDonald due to their size difference.
Somebody make it make sense to me. Conor McGregor wants a Welterweight Title Shot with a win over Chandler. And he dismisses the 6 month USADA waiting period. Thinks two tests are enough he is good to go. According to him. Uhhhhh. Huh?! Link in Bio for rant on this nonsense... https://t.co/3JdsigOVlc
Thus, 'The Notorious' remains unproven against true 170'ers. A win over Michael Chandler, one of the shortest lightweights in the world, isn't and shouldn't be enough to warrant a title shot in the welterweight division. The three-time Bellator lightweight champion is definitely not a welterweight.
Conor McGregor must beat at least one top-level welterweight before the UFC grants him a title fight at 170 lbs. Even beating Jorge Masvidal, who currently sits outside the top ten, makes more sense in terms of earning a title shot when compared to defeating a lightweight who has never fought in the UFC welterweight division.
#3. A title shot would confirm all talk of Conor McGregor receiving unfair treatment
Fans and fellow UFC fighters alike have accused Dana White and the promotion's top brass of subjecting Conor McGregor to favoritism. He remains the only fighter that the UFC has allowed to take a brief excursion into boxing to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. Every other mixed martial artist has been denied a similar chance.
Dana White scoffs at complaints about Conor McGregor getting preferential treatment on TUF 31. https://t.co/DvhRHRdqpf
In more recent news, he has also been the subject of controversy due to allegedly booting several contestants from The Ultimate Fighter reality show in favor of granting his teammates their spots. During his recent interview with Ariel Helwani, the Irishman claimed that he only needs two clean tests to be cleared to fight.
This comes from his refusal to enter the USADA testing pool. If the UFC grants him a welterweight title fight by beating Michael Chandler, fighters everywhere will bring more attention to how often 'The Notorious' is given favorable treatment. This could lead to even tougher negotiations with other fighters.
#2. Conor McGregor won't defend his title if he wins
The Irishman's career has followed a trend since his days at Cage Warriors. Conor McGregor captured the featherweight and lightweight titles in the European promotion. Unfortunately, he never defended his title and simply used his status as a two-division champion as a launching pad to earn a UFC contract.
Conor McGregor breaks UFC record for longest title reign without a defense. thesco.re/2sFWJ0u https://t.co/Rkk6uvktE3
Once he joined Dana White's banner, Conor McGregor replicated his feat of capturing two titles. While he became a double champion, the Irishman never defended either of his titles and has never expressed an interest in doing so. He was eventually stripped of his divisional thrones.
If 'The Notorious' defeats 'Iron' and emerges victorious in a welterweight title bout, it's more than likely that he won't defend his new title and leave the division in limbo.
#1. The welterweight division is full of stylistic nightmares
Conor McGregor's best chance at capturing the title would be if Leon Edwards defeats Kamaru Usman at UFC 286. The Englishman has a poor habit of conceding space against pressure fighters like the Irishman. If he manages to beat 'Rocky' and tries to defend his title, he'll be in for a rude awakening.
Its official - Shavkat Rakhmonov is now ranked number 6 in the UFC Welterweight rankings after beating Geoff Neal.
Getting real close to the title, in shaa Allah! https://t.co/qNJA3fLCis
Kamaru Usman, Belal Muhammad, and Colby Covington are all nightmarish stylistic matchups. They are cardio machines with strong wrestling skills, both of which have troubled the Irishman in the past.
Additionally, fighters like Khamzat Chimaev and Shavkat Rakhmonov present other problems. They're far bigger and also possess a combination of wrestling and grappling that Conor McGregor would have serious issues defending himself against. If he decides to defend his title, he could lose in such a lopsided manner that it could tarnish his reputation as a fighter.