"Conor could get back to his nasty ways" - Brendan Schaub suggests Islam Makhachev vs. Conor McGregor fight
Brendan Schaub has given his thoughts on a potential match-up between Islam Makhachev and Conor McGregor.
Last Saturday night, Makhachev tore through Bobby Green to take his current win streak up to 10 in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The Dagestani star continues to look like a title challenger in waiting. However, many believe he needs to get a bigger name on his resume before he can fight for the belt.
Schaub believes that Makhachev could benefit from a potential bout against Conor McGregor, the biggest star in MMA today. During the latest episode of The Schaub Show, he said:
“I’d use all the eyeballs on Conor McGregor and have him fight Makhachev on a major, major pay-per-view. It’s a terrible match-up for Conor but there’s some history there, right? You look at Conor and Khabib and obviously Islam is very familiar with that, Conor could get back to his nasty ways which some people love. I don’t think Conor is scared of anybody, I think he would sign tonight if they offered him that fight."
He added:
"As a business model if you want to get Islam to that level, that Khabib level, and obviously Khabib is a massive star, whether you want to submit to it or not, a lot of that is because of his fight with Conor and the drama. It kind of put him on the map.”
Watch the latest episode of The Schaub Show below:
Conor McGregor is currently undergoing the final stages of his rehabilitation after suffering a gruesome leg injury in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier last year. He is eyeing a return to the octagon this summer.
Islam Makhachev is already on the hunt for his next opponent. He's potentially being lined up for a short-notice showdown with Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 272 this weekend. If the bout with dos Anjos doesn't come to fruition, the Russian will be looking to fight the victor of the Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje title bout, which will be underway later this year.
The injury status of Conor McGregor
Following his leg break back at UFC 264 last summer, many fans wondered whether or not Conor McGregor would return to the octagon. Now, almost eight months later, he's been spotted walking around at Bellator Dublin over the weekend where he appeared to be in really good spirits.
During an interview with Severe MMA, he even indicated that he could be sparring as early as April and that making an International Fight Week return is very plausible.
McGregor's star power could see the Irishman jump the line at 155 lbs. 'The Notorious' has hinted at an immediate title shot upon his return on numerous occasions. It remains to be seen who he takes on next.