Javier Mendez on Conor McGregor fight being overlooked by Islam Makhachev in favor of Alexander Volkanovski - "He's gonna keep it clean"
If Islam Makhachev manages to capture lightweight gold on October 22, Alexander Volkanovski is the more appealing matchup ahead of Conor McGregor, argues American Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendez.
As he is all set to headline his first-ever UFC pay-per-view next month, Islam Makhachev has the chance to fill his predecessor Khabib Nurmagomedov's boots and continue the dominant grappler's legacy. To do this, he must beat in-form and extremely dangerous Brazilian Charles Oliveira.
During a recent interview on Submission Radio, Javier Mendez explained why he'd prefer Islam Makhachev to face Alexander Volkanovski next over Conor McGregor if his man walks away from UFC 280 with the lightweight title.
"For me, the interesting one is Alex [and not Conor McGregor] because he's on a tear. He's a great sportsman, he's gonna keep it clean and I mean, if you're asking me what I would want [for Islam Makhachev next], as a sports person, not as entertainment, but if you're talking about sports, who deserves the right, a hundred percent him... He's a class act, he comes from a very reputable gym that's got class coaches... I respect them very, very high. Very high opinion of those guys."
Alexander Volkanovski recently snatched the No.1 pound-for-pound spot and hopes to use it to his advantage by cashing in on a lightweight title shot. The featherweight king has been a sensation inside the octagon since his arrival, and his most recent outing proved he's one of the greatest active fighters in the world.
Check out the full interview below:
Who should Conor McGregor fight next?
Although Conor McGregor's return to the UFC has no date set, it seems likely that the Irishman will make his return to the octagon next year, but who will he be tasked with facing when that time comes?
'The Notorious' remains the biggest name in the sport despite collecting just one win since 2016. While it's unrealistic, the 34-year-old could be presented with a title shot upon his return.
If McGregor is forced to fight his way back into contention, a long-awaited matchup against Tony Ferguson could be of interest to the former two-weight world champion.
The two have been embroiled in a back-and-forth for over half a decade. Although 'El Cucuy' seems to be approaching the tailend of his career, it could be a great test to see what level the Dublin native is at for his comeback fight.