Conor McGregor "has no business" facing grappler like Islam Makhachev, says Stephen A. Smith
Conor McGregor is set to make his highly-anticipated return to the octagon against Michael Chandler in the main event of UFC 303 later this month. It will mark the former double champ's first bout in nearly three years as he returns from a broken leg suffered at UFC 264 in July 2021.
Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev retained his lightweight title at UFC 302 this past weekend, defeating Dustin Poirier via fifth-round submission. While McGregor has been linked with several potential opponents he could face after the Chandler fight, Stephen A. Smith recently claimed that 'The Notorious' has no business in the octagon with the lightweight champion. Speaking on his ESPN show First Take, the sports television personality stated:
"I was in Vegas for the Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov fight. It was one of the greatest events I have ever attended in my life. It was unreal, okay, but what we learned in that fight is that Conor McGregor has no business being in the octagon against a grappler, which is what Makhachev [is]. I mean, this brother right here, he's something special and he's not going to try to strike against Conor McGregor."
Check out Stephen A. Smith's comments on a potential matchup between Conor McGregor and Islam Makhachev below:
Leading up to UFC 302, Makhachev suggested that he would be interested in facing McGregor, claiming the former double champ is not the same fighter as when he faced Khabib Nurmagomedov, citing his drinking habits. He revealed that he would make a quick turnaround if 'The Notorious' was his next opponent.
Daniel Cormier believes that the seeds are being planted for Conor McGregor to face Islam Makhachev
The competitiveness of a bout between Conor McGregor and Islam Makhachev is a legitimate concern as the former has been away from the octagon for three years, while the latter is on a dominant 14-fight win streak. Despite this, Daniel Cormier believes the seeds are being planted for the two to clash.
Speaking on his self-titled podcast, the UFC Hall of Famer noted that Makhachev's team complimented 'The Notorious' for becoming the first double champ before adding:
"I believe or I think or I would hope that's with the idea that down the line, you can get that fight for Islam Makhachev because you know what it did for Khabib in terms of his star quality. Look what it did for Dustin Poirier, who Islam is fighting. So, if you can manage to get Conor versus Islam down the line, that's the fight you want. Even Islam said it himself... He said, 'you'd be an idiot not to fight Conor McGregor knowing what it means to you financially'."
Check out Daniel Cormier's comments on Conor McGregor and Islam Makhachev below:
McGregor has attempted to lure Khabib Nurmagomedov out of retirement for a rematch, however, it appears that their camp could be trying to set up a bout against his long-time friend and training partner. While 'The Notorious' has shared that he will likely not return to the lightweight division, Makhachev has expressed an interest in fighting at welterweight.