Although Conor McGregor has not ruled out competing in the lightweight division again, his current focus is on securing a UFC welterweight title shot. This goal hinges on his upcoming fight against Michael Chandler, as a victory would increase his chances of earning a shot at the title in the welterweight division.
On a special edition of The MMA Hour, McGregor said he may be in attendance to watch Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3 at UFC 286. He has a vested interest in the winner.
“Yeah, I’d like [a welterweight title shot],” McGregor told Ariel Helwani. “So I would like that.”
The UFC has not confirmed the weight class for McGregor vs. Chandler, which serves as their season-ending fight following The Ultimate Fighter 31. But McGregor sees himself as a welterweight, telling Helwani, “I’m 170.”
McGregor added his fight with Chandler could take place in Las Vegas, New York, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, or London, but he said the location has not been finalized.
The former two-division champion has bulked up since breaking his leg at UFC 264, arousing suspicions of PED use and leading to the revelation that he was not in the UFC’s drug testing pool administered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
So far, McGregor has competed three times at welterweight, splitting a pair of bouts with Nate Diaz before railroading Donald Cerrone in a comeback fight in 2020. He then fell short in back-to-back lightweight fights against Dustin Poirier, losing the first by knockout and the second when he broke his leg in a trilogy match.
McGregor has on several occasions targeted now-former welterweight champ Usman, who aims to win back the belt at UFC 286 after a brutal knockout loss to Edwards this past August. UFC President Dana White didn’t shoot down the idea when it was broached this past year, but the TUF coaching spot and fight against Chandler, who’s historically competed at lightweight, raised questions of the promotion’s plans.
McGregor is due in London this week for business at a satellite location of The Black Forge Inn, the restaurant and bar he owns, and said he may be in attendance for UFC 286, which takes place at The O2 in London.
