Islam Makhachev Doubts Conor McGregor Will Earn a Lightweight Title Shot

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Islam Makhachev doesn’t see Conor McGregor earning himself a legitimate title shot upon his return.

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight and featherweight titleholder McGregor (22-6) has been out of action since 2021, nursing a broken leg he suffered in his trilogy clash against Dustin Poirier. The Irish star recently made a return to the UFC’s drug-testing pool after months of back-and-forth with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which would make his return possible next April.

Despite having dropped three of his last four, McGregor has remained a popular callout for elite lightweight contenders, including former champ Charles Oliveira. However, current lightweight champ Makhachev (25-1) isn’t interested in fighting McGregor unless “Notorious” deserves a title shot, which he doubts will happen.

Makhachev believes the climb up the rankings will not be easy for McGregor, who is currently expected to fight Michael Chandler on his Octagon return. The 32-year-old said in a recent interview uploaded to the Instagram channel za.khabiba:

“If he deserves it, then yes. If he deserves it, he will come back, will win 3-4 fights. And in general, if the UFC leadership offers, I will not miss the fight definitely because I don’t think he deserves it. I don’t even think he deserves it because I don’t believe that he will come back to the winning streak or be able to beat the real contenders and become the number one contender.”

Talks of a potential fight against McGregor came up while Makhachev was discussing Francis Ngannou’s near-upset boxing match against Tyson Fury in Riyadh. According to Makhachev, Fury showed boxers in a bad light while Ngannou went on show the true potential of a MMA fighter’s switch to the sweet science. He said:

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https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/I...gor-Will-Earn-a-Lightweight-Title-Shot-191630

 

[welcometohavoc]

He's arguably never earned a title shot in his UFC career

 

[MigitAs]

Dana White-privilege says otherwise

 

[Kenny Powerth]

Earn??

he hasn’t earned one of his many

All this Connor talk makes me think he’s about to stroll back into a TS

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Poll added

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[Kowboy On Sherdog]

What do the big homies think?

Spoiler: The Good Goys

@StonedLemur @Fight Professor @TerrorTimmy @Elvis. @ryun253 @don't ask @C0NCH3TO @MEAN357 @Cooliox @mudrubble @Bobby Boulders @Simple Southerner @svmr_db @Luthien @BoxerMaurits @Neck&Neck @SeattleFightFan @Ares Black @SalvadorAllende @Arm Barbarian @Blanqa Blanqua @Royce's Gi @Cooliox @Krixes @MXZT @wisdom blows

 

[El Fernas]

"A" belt? Yes, the Undisputed LW belt? Doubt it, he needs to win at least a fight first, wont happen.

 

[backlight]

 

[Krixes]

Conor shouldn't be anywhere near the belt. If he beat Chandler I could see Dana doing it though...

 

[svmr_db]

If McGregor can beat Chandler they'll find a way to justify a title shot for him lol.

 

[Tweak896]

He won't earn shit, as long as he won his last fight, Dana will probably say he's ready. Time for a cowboy rematch.

 

[LoveMyMMA]

He won't earn it.
But he'll get it.
Dana WHITE privilege.

 

[Joinho10]

Love that from Makhachev. Finally a champ that wont go down on his knees and beg for a Conor fight.

 

[MEAN357]

Breaking: Islam also thinks the sky is blue

 

[ryun253]

What do the big homies think?

Spoiler: The Good Goys

@StonedLemur @Fight Professor @TerrorTimmy @Elvis. @ryun253 @don't ask @C0NCH3TO @MEAN357 @Cooliox @mudrubble @Bobby Boulders @Simple Southerner @svmr_db @Luthien @BoxerMaurits @Neck&Neck @SeattleFightFan @Ares Black @SalvadorAllende @Arm Barbarian @Blanqa Blanqua @Royce's Gi @Cooliox @Krixes @MXZT @wisdom blows

Dana White privledge. Give him someone outside of the top 20 he can squash, like Tony Ferguson then the hype will be back for the casuals

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Easiest poll choice ever

 

[Elvis.]

What do the big homies think?

Spoiler: The Good Goys

@StonedLemur @Fight Professor @TerrorTimmy @Elvis. @ryun253 @don't ask @C0NCH3TO @MEAN357 @Cooliox @mudrubble @Bobby Boulders @Simple Southerner @svmr_db @Luthien @BoxerMaurits @Neck&Neck @SeattleFightFan @Ares Black @SalvadorAllende @Arm Barbarian @Blanqa Blanqua @Royce's Gi @Cooliox @Krixes @MXZT @wisdom blows

If he beat’s Chandler I would bet that he gets a title shot .
If he fights the winner of Paddy Vs Tony , which I don’t think is as preposterous as it sounds, and wins I could still see them giving him a title shot

 

[rear naked ankle pick]

He earns it just by existing

 

[Ares Black]

What do the big homies think?

Spoiler: The Good Goys

@StonedLemur @Fight Professor @TerrorTimmy @Elvis. @ryun253 @don't ask @C0NCH3TO @MEAN357 @Cooliox @mudrubble @Bobby Boulders @Simple Southerner @svmr_db @Luthien @BoxerMaurits @Neck&Neck @SeattleFightFan @Ares Black @SalvadorAllende @Arm Barbarian @Blanqa Blanqua @Royce's Gi @Cooliox @Krixes @MXZT @wisdom blows

Stranger things have happened, even if it's completely ridiculous. One win and he'll probably be gifted a title shot.

I just don't think he can get that one win.

 

[Clark Rogers]

I get some of the rhetoric in here but I think anyone that says he didn't earn that initial FW interim shot is just plain hating.

Any evidence of his belonging there should've been immediately dispelled via his utterly destroying Aldo in the unification bout.

The rest, I get your point, but not on that initial FW run.