5 logical fights for Conor McGregor when he makes his UFC return

#4. Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz III

One of the most lucrative trilogy clashes going, McGregor vs. Diaz III has been a dream fight for five years. McGregor has fought at welterweight again since 2016, he picked up a round one TKO victory against Donald Cerrone last year.

Given his comments regarding current welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, it’s not implausible McGregor might want to return to the division. At welterweight, McGregor won’t have to punish his body with a weight cut.

Furthermore, with a little extra size on him, he can increase his strength and explosiveness. Similar to McGregor, Nate Diaz is a big money star who’s fallen on some hard times in the octagon.

After a two-year lay-off following his UFC 244 loss to Jorge Masvidal, Diaz returned this year at UFC 263. There, he found himself on the wrong end of a unanimous decision against Leon Edwards.

With a record of 20-13 now and training injuries in more recent years, questions regarding Diaz’s longevity are beginning to surface. Considering the severity of McGregor’s injury at UFC 264, such questions will likely be heading his way too in the near future.

For both men, this is a huge money fight they can put on before their bodies start to give out after years of punishment in the octagon.

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#3. Conor McGregor vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Better six years late than never.

Conor McGregor was originally supposed to challenge then-UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 196. Unfortunately, dos Anjos was forced to pull out after breaking his foot in training. Instead, McGregor faced Nate Diaz.

During McGregor’s lengthy feud with ‘The Stockton Slugger’, a recovered dos Anjos dropped the title to Eddie Alvarez in July 2016. Alvarez went on to lose his gold to McGregor at UFC 205.

The much-hyped McGregor vs. dos Anjos showdown never happened. Recently, at UFC 264, it was rumored dos Anjos was present as a stand-in should either the Irishman or Dustin Poirier have to pull out of their fight. McGregor acknowledged the rumor in a tweet, saying he’d be up for fighting both of them.

The Brazilian hasn’t fought since his November 2020 split decision victory over Paul Felder. Now back in the lightweight division after a foray into welterweight, could dos Anjos be the perfect return opponent for McGregor?

Their history should make this fight an easy sell. Given his hit-and-miss track record at welterweight, some have wondered if dos Anjos has passed his prime. For McGregor, such a notion ought to be a confidence booster when he finally sets foot in the octagon again.