HE WASN’T FIGHTING in Orlando but Conor McGregor was still the talk of last night’s UFC card, which was headlined by an impressive lightweight title defence by Rafael dos Anjos against Donald Cerrone.
Having captured the UFC featherweight title last weekend, McGregor is now setting his sights on the lightweight division. The winners of last night’s two main-card bouts in the 155lbs division both sent messages to the Irish star in their post-fight interviews.
Nate Diaz, who returned after a year away from the octagon to see off Michael Johnson, said: “Conor McGregor, you’re taking everything I work for, motherfucker! I’m gonna fight your fuckin’ ass. You know what’s the real fight; what’s the real money fight.”
Meanwhile, after taking just 66 seconds to defend the lightweight title, dos Anjos told McGregor: “I’ll fight you in Brazil, I’ll go to Ireland and face you there, wherever you want. I’m here to say.”
In the knowledge that he’s currently the UFC’s biggest draw, the Irish fighter is well accustomed to being called out by now. McGregor, who’s expected to return to Dublin from Los Angeles in the coming days, took to Twitter to issue his own response:
Line them up on their knees with their hands out. I want them to beg me.”
Writing in his exclusive column here on The42 on Friday, McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh said the next step for his fighter will be a lightweight title bout in April.
To that end, it looks like Diaz will have to join a queue which is currently headed by number one featherweight contender Frankie Edgar, while McGregor aims to become the first man to hold two UFC belts simultaneously by defeating dos Anjos.
