6 potential fights for Conor McGregor including Max Holloway and Nate Diaz

Former two-weight champion McGregor is set to return to the octagon next year after suffering a horror leg break in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264

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Conor McGregor shows off watch as he smokes cigar

As Conor McGregor continues to recover from his broken tibia, it remains unclear who the former two-weight champion will face in his comeback fight.

McGregor suffered the horror leg break in his UFC 264 trilogy against Dustin Poirier earlier this year.

The Irishman was on crutches and had to wear a cast for several weeks, but three months later his recovery is ahead of schedule as he returns to hitting pads.

McGregor – who finds himself ranked at No.9 at 155-pounds – has been called out by a handful of names during his time on the sidelines.

And with the top of the UFC lightweight division being packed full of talent, we look at some potential opponents for McGregor’s return…

1. Michael Chandler

Former three-time Bellator lightweight champion Chandler was signed to the UFC last September and has since fought three times for the promotion.

He leapfrogged the top contenders in his weight class and was awarded a shot at the vacant title after impressively knocking out Dan Hooker in his debut at the beginning of this year.

Chandler was on the brink of becoming champion after knocking down Charles Oliveira in their title fight, but the Brazilian survived to stop Chandler in the next round.

He continued to fight the best at 155-pounds by facing Justin Gaethje at UFC 267 this past weekend.

Despite losing a decision and being “unrecognisable” after three hard rounds, Chandler’s stock went up after the fight and he called for a 2022 clash with McGregor.

2. Max Holloway

A familiar face for McGregor, the Irishman won on points for the first time against a 21-year-old Holloway when they met in the early stages of their UFC career.

Fast forward eight years and the two men find themselves in very different places.

Holloway won 12 consecutive fights after his loss to McGregor, defeating featherweight legend Jose Aldo to win the title and successfully defending it twice.

‘Blessed’ eventually met his match when Alex Volkanovski edged past him to win the title in 2019, with their rematch last July going the same way.

Holloway – who has fought once at lightweight in the UFC – shattered significant striking records when he landed 445 in his one-sided win against Calvin Kattar in January.

3. Dustin Poirier/Charles Oliveira

Another potential opponent for McGregor is the loser of the upcoming title fight between Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira.

McGregor is unlikely to fight for the title upon his return but a match-up against the beaten man could propel him back into title contention.

It could also set up a fourth fight with Poirier – something UFC president Dana White will happen in the future.

McGregor scolded the “garbage” promo for the upcoming title and joked the UFC should put him as a shadow in the video to boost the pay-per-view sales.

Oliveira has won his last eight fights in the UFC, whilst Poirier is undefeated in his last three with two of those wins coming against McGregor.

4. Nate Diaz

A third fight against Diaz could be the perfect option for McGregor’s return.

Diaz became a star overnight when he handed McGregor his first UFC loss five years ago, submitting the Irishman on just 11 days’ notice at UFC 196.

A third fight between the pair has seemed inevitable since McGregor avenged his loss to Diaz later that year, outpointing him at UFC 202.

Diaz has just one fight left on his UFC contract and has been linked with fights against Vicente Luque and Tony Ferguson.

Popular MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz – who manages Luque – thinks the UFC are reluctant to book Diaz a fight unless it’s against McGregor.

McGregor’s second fight with Diaz currently sits at No.3 in the highest-selling UFC pay-per-views of all-time at 1.6 million.

Who should Conor McGregor fight on his return from injury? Let us know in the comments section below

5. Tony Ferguson

Ferguson has been calling out McGregor for years, but the two are yet to meet in the octagon.

The perennial lightweight contender went unbeaten for six years and was viewed as the ‘boogeyman’ of the division.

He won the interim title in 2017 against Kevin Lee during that run and defeated former champions such as Rafael Dos Anjos and Anthony Pettis.

But Ferguson has lost his last three UFC appearances as ‘El Cucuy’ looks to be a shell of his former self in the cage.

McGregor and Ferguson were signed to the management company in Paradigm Sports, but McGregor has since mocked Ferguson for leaving the company for the promise of a baseball contract.

“I love Tony. We represented him amazingly at Paradigm sports and were betrayed for a promise of a baseball contract,” he wrote.

“But frame and preparation here was just embarrassing. His methods and conversation are humorous/enjoyable but he was never the level perceived. Although tough.”

6. Islam Makhachev

Makhachev – the protege of McGregor’s old rival Khabib Nurmagomedov – has taken the lightweight division by storm in the past year.

He didn’t fight for the whole of 2020, but he is now ranked at No.4 in the division after picking up three wins this year.

The 30-year-old submitted Drew Dober in March and Thiago Moises in the first main event of his UFC career.

But the most impressive win of his career came last month when he made quick work of the gritty Dan Hooker at UFC 267.

Makhachev is unbeaten in his last eight fights and has been backed by Nurmagomedov to be the next lightweight champion.

If McGregor does fight – and beat – Makhachev, it could entice Nurmagomedov’s return for a second fight with Irishman.