Conor McGregor’s return to UFC was highly anticipated but the Irishman was some way below his best in the face of challenger Dustin Poirier. The two-round loss leaves ‘Notorious’ at a crossroads and inevitable questions are raised as to what happens next.
McGregor is such a high-profile personality with media coverage following him inside and outside of the octagon and it’s natural that UFC will want to hold on to their man. All publicity is good publicity but how far can McGregor’s currency stretch if his career is on the wane?
A Surprise Defeat
Conor McGregor’s break from UFC meant that we didn’t quite know what to expect when he stepped back into the Octagon to take on Dustin Poirier. The Irishman was, however, a clear favourite for the win with sportsbooks linked in to sbo.net.
As something of a dangerous journeyman fighter, Poirier was always going to be a threat but the swift manner of his two-round victory came as a shock. As an affiliate providing links to US betting sites, Sbo.net covered the fight and will update on options involving Conor McGregor moving forward. Those options may relate to UFC, the boxing ring or, ‘Notorious’ could even find himself in the world of pro wrestling with WWE.
UFC Options
It took six and a half years for Dustin Poirier to exact his revenge in what was an overdue rematch but it may not take quite so long for a third battle between the two fighters. Shortly after his defeat at UFC 257, McGregor called for the trilogy bout and suggested that the UFC Lightweight title should be on the line.
In response to that calling out, Poirier asked to be crowned as the rightful champion in the division. There’s a way to go before that battle is confirmed but it’s a good sign for McGregor supporters who want their man to remain in the Octagon.
Many MMA fans retain hope of seeing Conor McGregor step in to take on Khabib Nurmagomedov once again but the potential for that rematch has faded following the Irishman’s most recent defeat. Khabib’s coach Javier Mendez has claimed that McGregor’s career has regressed and that he would be ‘smashed’ if he stepped into the octagon with the Russian fighter.
Elsewhere, talks of potential bouts against Nate Diaz, Tony Ferguson and Rafael dos Anjos have been mentioned. Those names may lack some glamour but at least McGregor retains options for moving his MMA career forward.
One Door Closes
YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul appears to have lost patience in his bid to take on Conor McGregor in the ring. Paul’s credentials as a professional fighter may be a matter for debate but he has a 2-0 record so far and is now looking to extend that 100% return.
Jake Paul had ‘called out’ Conor McGregor on more than one occasion and had talked in terms of a $50 million purse. Now, he’s turned his attentions to another UFC fighter, Ben Askren, with a boxing match scheduled for April 17th.
Paul wants to prove that he is a ‘real fighter’ but where does this leave Conor McGregor? Askren may be a former champion in the Bellator and ONE organisations but, in terms of star quality, he’s not quite in McGregor’s league. Jake Paul may well have ‘Notorious’ in his sights moving forward but plans for a mouthwatering match up have been shelved for now.
What’s Next?
In the past, Conor McGregor has teased fans over a return to the boxing ring and a possible switch to WWE but for now, he seems committed to UFC. In the aftermath of his loss to Dustin Poirier, the Irishman’s thoughts were solely on a third match between the two fighters with the possibility of putting a title belt on the line.
Any move towards another combat sport is likely to be shelved until McGregor gets his wish. A second defeat to Poirier may call time on his UFC career and force him into the kind of high-profile match up that Jake Paul has demanded. The tricky part is remaining competitive in order to keep all his options open and, based on his most recent loss, Conor McGregor has some work to do. k to do.