Who is going to be Conor McGregor's next opponent in the UFC? Almost every Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) forum across the Internet is having this discussion.
As of now, the Irishman, who holds the UFC lightweight championship and is expecting a baby with partner Dee Devlin, is taking a break from fighting. In the meantime, several MMA fighters are stepping up -- as hungry as sharks -- demanding a piece of McGregor!
Read: UFC schedule for 2017.
McGregor, 28, meanwhile is keen only on taking on the retired pro-boxer Floyd Mayweather in a boxing ring! He recently acquired his boxing license to step things up in development.
As for whom he will fight next in the UFC, McGregor has mentioned plenty of times that no matter what weight division, he will fight and destroy every single UFC star across all divisions and take all the belts!
These 5 UFC stars, meanwhile, are waiting for the BIG chance!
Khabib Nurmagomedov
If the fight between McGregor and Khabib indeed happens, expect a lethal bloodbath! The 28-year-old Russian MMA fighter is nothing but a complete animal inside the octagon. Khabib is undefeated in 24 fights and is getting frustrated by the fact that he still has to wait to take on the lightweight champion.
Khabib has taken potshots at McGregor a number of times
"Hey Conor, be careful, after I finish smashing Tony Ferguson, I'm going to smash you. People are going to forget who you are, soon."
@TheNotoriousMMA and conor says he's having a baby when all he does is go to clubs and party excuse after excuse @danawhite @seanshelby
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 9, 2017
Khabib has also said: "I am the Floyd Mayweather of MMA!"
Tony Ferguson
Ferguson is the underdog in the fight against Khabib for the interim UFC lightweight title at UFC 209, but having said that, even the 32-year-old is not silent about a potential fight with McGregor. The American is 23-3-0 in his MMA career.
@TheNotoriousMMA Paper Champ Who Thought U Could Walk Away From MMA #MoneyMadeYouSoftMcnuggets I Bet You Fade Like A Ghost. #Buster #ElCucuy pic.twitter.com/v0kG8ukS15
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) February 6, 2017
Cody Garbrandt
Labelled as the next McGregor when it comes to that electrifying charisma and bad-ass attitude, Garbrandt, who recently won the UFC Bantamweight championship after defeating Dominick Cruz at UFC 207.
McGregor is already on Garbrandt's hit-list, along with TJ Dillashaw and Jose Aldo.
In case you don't know, a brawl has already taken place between the Irishman and the American during the filming of The Ultimate Fighter season 22: Team McGregor vs Team Faber. Garbrandt, who was a part of Urijah Faber's team, stepped up to push McGregor and the other fighters instantly separated the two.
"I think he's great for the sport but there was beef with me and him on The Ultimate Fighter. That was real (expletive)," Garbrandt told FOX Sports about that brawl. "People want to say that was just me just trying to get camera time. No, when you ask me to fight I'm going (expletive) fight you.
"If someone pushes me, they're getting knocked out. They're going to get in a fight."
Nate Diaz
"Nothing but Conor McGregor! Let my UFC career end but I want ONLY McGregor: Anywhere, Anytime!" That seems to be the stance taken by the 31-year-old American fighter.
Diaz recently applied for a boxing license to go against the Irishman in the boxing ring. He has claimed that Dana White and the UFC are refusing to give him a trilogy fight against McGregor.
Apparently, UFC President Dana White offered Nate Diaz a chance to fight Eddie Alvarez, but this is how Nate reacted:
Lol at your fight...
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) February 4, 2017
Anderson Silva
Yes, the MMA legend has come calling for McGregor's blood! The 41-year-old has recently come on record and mentioned that he admired Conor McGregor's style and is very keen of fighting the Irishman inside the octagon in possibly his final UFC match.
"I have a lot of respect for Conor McGregor because this man changed everything in the UFC," Silva said recently. "I'm very respectful of Conor McGregor's style. I think it's a great challenge for my martial arts technique. I don't talk to disrespect Conor. It's just a challenge for myself and for the best standup fighting.
"I respect Conor, and I think this would be a great show, a great fight for the rest of my life, the rest of my story in the UFC."
Conor's response:
"Fook every one of them. You see Anderson [Silva]? What's Anderson talking about? What the fook is Anderson Silva talking about? He keeps mentioning my name over and over again.
"Look, I'll fight any one of them. Make sure the numbers are right, make sure the situation is right. I'll fight any one of them at any given time."
