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Chael Sonnen feels Javier Mendez shouldn't have said that Conor McGregor may get a title shot ahead of Islam Makhachev. The AKA head coach recently claimed that despite Makhachev being more deserving of a title shot, the promotion may hand it to McGregor because of the Irishman's popularity.
According to 'The American Gangster,' Mendez shouldn't have "exposed his own industry" by claiming that the UFC values entertainment over the integrity of rankings. He also claims that it's not just about popularity but Conor McGregor's achievements.
Sonnen pointed out that although the promotion does value entertainment and popular fighters, McGregor is also more accomplished in comparison to Makhachev.
He explained that while the Irishman has won three titles in the UFC already (including the interim title at UFC 189), Makhachev is yet to reach those heights of success.
In a recently shared video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen said:
"You never expose your own industry...Is Conor more popular than Islam? Sure he is...He's got not one, not two, he's got three belts. Islam's never fought for a belt and has none so before you act as though it's just popular. People like to call Conor champ champ, they forget he won three...At some point what you did yesterday does matter. You don't want to be in the habit of resting on your laurels but if you're coming in arguing resumes you don't want to go to head to head with McGregor."
Check out the video below:
Chael Sonnen explains why Islam Makhachev may be afforded a title shot ahead of Conor McGregor
According to Chael Sonnen, the UFC is in the business of selling the biggest fights with the most intriguing storylines. So it makes sense for the promotion to let Makhachev fight for the title first.
Should the Dagestani become champion, Sonnen suggests that we could see a blockbuster title fight between Islam Makhachev and Conor McGregor.
Makhachev happens to be Khabib Nurmagomedov's close friend and the fight will attract a lot of eyeballs because of the bad-blood between Nurmagomedov and McGregor. Since we are unlikely to see Khabib vs. McGregor again, this is the next best matchup to make, according to Sonnen.
"It's much better for Islam to go next and Conor, the number one fight that our industry has tried to make is Khabib versus McGregor...Now we can't get even Conor back in there [with Khabib] together so what is the absolute next best thing? You get Conor in there with Islam, Khabib's pupil. Khabib still at the press conference, Khabib still at the weigh-ins, Khabib still at the octagon, it's a much bigger and better storyline," Sonnen said.
