For the past few years, one name has been on the mind of MMA fans the world over: Conor McGregor. After unfortunately breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, the Irishman has remained on the sidelines, healing from his injury, filming a remake of the classic 1989 action movie Road House, and preparing to run for president, apparently. However, given his status as the biggest box-office draw in the sport today, the eventual comeback of McGregor will be a widely-anticipated spectacle, one that will require the perfect dance partner to make the event must-see television. Given the talent-stacked pool of competitors that make up the lightweight top 10, “The Notorious” will have no shortage of elite opposition to battle upon his return.
Now, here are five potential opponents for Conor McGregor
Michael Chandler
Competing as recently as last Saturday against former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 309, Michael Chandler still proved that he is a massive fan-favorite and a strong contender by nearly knocking out the Brazilian in the fifth round to the elation of the New York crowd. The bout ultimately came to be due to a failed booking between Chandler and McGregor, who were expected to face off at UFC 303 but the Irishman ended up pulling out due to a broken toe. In his post-fight interview, a battered but charismatic Chandler once again called out McGregor, seemingly stoking the flames again for a tremendous money fight with the global combat sports superstar.
After endless back-and-forth between these two men for over a year, including coaching a season of the Ultimate Fighter against each other, it appeared that the rivalry Chandler shared with McGregor was to be entirely fruitless. However, with his gutsy performance at Madison Square Garden (his first bout in two years), he may have earned himself another shot at the former two division champion. To what extent his loss to the Brazilian might have impacted that shot is still up for debate, but as one of UFC’s most popular fighters (and given their heated history), Chandler makes for an ideal opponent for a returning McGregor. It’s likely the charismatic Irishman would be a Vegas favorite in this fight, which bettors who use the 20bet bonus code would be able to cash in on the hype train.
Dan Hooker
From going 1-4 in five fights, to embarking on a stellar current three bout win streak, Dan Hooker has undergone a sensational resurgence as of late. Ranked number six at 155 lbs., the gritty New Zealander was last seen in action at UFC 305, where he defeated Polish wrestling specialist Mateusz Gamrot.
Following the botched pairing between Chandler and McGregor, Hooker threw his own name into the red panty night sweepstakes, which seems to have all been agreed upon by both parties. A matchup with “The Hangman” presents a fun and challenging puzzle for the Irishman, as Hooker is known for his immense durability and long reach that could keep even the “Notorious One” at bay. Coming off such a long lay off, McGregor’s gas tank and patience will surely be tested against the veteran fighter from New Zealand, who has shared the cage with several top strikers like Chandler, Dustin Poirier, and Islam Makhachev.
Dustin Poirier
Although he may have gotten the TKO victory during their third and possibly last fight together, there may yet be a lingering sense of unfinished business between McGregor and Dustin Poirier. While the Louisiana native looked utterly dominant in the moments leading up to the ghastly leg break, he still wasn’t quite able to get the finish that would have led to the definitive end to his feud with his long-time rival. Though it seems he has well moved on from ever fighting McGregor for a fourth time, a final encounter with the Irishman would probably clear away any residing inconclusiveness that may yet exist within himself, the European, and the MMA community.
A tetralogy match with McGregor also makes complete sense for Poirier from a financial standpoint. After being submitted by lightweight king Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, Poirier has stated on several occasions that he has just more trip to the cage in him before he hangs up his gloves for good. For that last special walk to the Octagon, why not allow the future Hall of Famer to take home arguably the biggest payday of his career against the sport’s biggest name?
Justin Gaethje
Standing as one of the more desired matchups in the history of the modern UFC, a pairing between Justin Gaethje and McGregor has the potential for becoming a fight of the decade candidate. On top of being among the most entertaining and violent fighters on the planet, both lightweights command a vast amount of power, easily being labeled as two of the hardest punchers in the division. For years, the two have traded words with each other, with “The Highlight” even mentioning last year how he wants to end McGregor’s career. Still, these two bruising 155-lb. standouts have never been able to cross paths.
When looked at from an analytical standpoint, Gaethje makes for the perfect counter to the Irishman, because, as proven evident from his confrontations with Poirier, McGregor has a hard time dealing with leg kicks, which are the Arizona native’s specialty. Not only that, depending on how well the “Notorious One”’s ankle has managed to heal over the past three years, their bout could end very quickly, considering Gaethje will undoubtedly target his legs first.
That isn’t to say McGregor will be outclassed or hopeless. After all, this is the same man who became a double champion by knocking out both title holders in dramatic and iconic fashion. That strength definitely still hasn’t faded, and remembering how Gaethje was recently dispatched by Max Holloway via knockout at UFC 300, a well-placed left hook could be all that McGregor needs to get himself back on the board.
Max Holloway
More than a decade ago at UFC Fight Night 26, a young Max Holloway took on the soon-to-be worldwide phenom Conor McGregor, losing to the European by unanimous decision. In the years since the defeat, Holloway has grown into one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, at one point standing as the Featherweight Champion with four title defenses. He even snatched the popular BMF strap from Justin Gaethje earlier this year at UFC 300 in true viral fashion, flattening “The Highlight” with a masterful right hook. However, “Blessed” has fallen on hard times since falling to 145-lb champion Ilia Topuria last month by knockout, the very first of his more than 30 fight career.
This ultimately prompted Holloway to make the permanent move up to lightweight earlier this month, leaving one particularly enticing contest on the table for his first match of his new division: a rematch with McGregor. In a spectacular pairing between former featherweight kings, this hypothetical bout can only be described as a striking extravaganza. Possessing one of, if not the best, gas tanks in the sport, Holloway’s absolutely suffocating pace will test the Irishman to see if he can keep up after a lengthy hiatus away from the cage. On the flip side, after having his once iron-clad chin finally cracked by Topuria, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that the stronger McGregor can deliver a powerful blow to send the Hawaiian crashing to the canvas for the second time in a row.
