Longtime UFC play-by-play man Jon Anik has no real interest in seeing Conor McGregor compete at middleweight.
McGregor, a former two-division UFC champion, kicked off 2024 by revealing to the world that he will probably be making his return to the Octagon on June 29 to headline the promotion’s annual Worldwide Combat Week festivities in Las Vegas. Nevertheless, the Irishman threw battle followers a curveball when he revealed that his comeback battle in opposition to ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler would happen at 185-pounds. A weight he has by no means fought at earlier than. In reality, neither fighter has.
McGregor kicked off his UFC profession competing within the featherweight division earlier than making the transfer as much as light-weight. Since then, he has dabbled at welterweight for bouts in opposition to Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone. As for Chandler, the previous Bellator MMA champion has solely competed at light-weight since signing with the UFC, however he did make some appearances at welterweight for his earlier employer.
It stays to be seen if McGregor’s middleweight demand makes it into the ultimate contract, however Anik can solely see one logical motive why ‘Mystic Mac’ would stick with his weapons concerning the bout being contested at 185.
“I pray that’s our actuality (that it doesn’t occur at middleweight),” Anik informed MMA Junkie Radio. “If I used to be writing a pay-per-view open, and I do write these myself, I might eradicate the load class most likely. I most likely would eradicate the load class from my pay-per-view open and simply concentrate on a returning Conor McGregor.
“The one protection for that battle occurring at middleweight, with respect to my good friend Conor McGregor, is his leg. And if they only don’t need him (to) and he doesn’t wish to reduce the load, to attempt to have that leg be as sturdy as humanly potential to attempt to get by that first battle.”
By the point Conor McGregor steps again into the Octagon, it should have been almost three years since his devastating loss to Dustin Poirier. Because of this, he presently holds no rating in any UFC weight class. A win over Chandler at middleweight, and even welterweight for that matter, would possible do little or no to alter that state of affairs.
In actuality, one of the simplest ways for McGregor to take advantage of his scrap with Michael Chandler is to satisfy him within the division the place ‘Iron’ presently holds the No. 12 rating — lighweight. Sadly, Anik can’t see that occuring.
“It has no divisional relevance at ’85,” Anik stated. “Actually doesn’t have a lot at ’70. And I’ve lengthy kind of wished that Conor McGregor would compete extra at 155 kilos. He has just one light-weight win career-wise within the UFC in opposition to Eddie Alvarez. He didn’t defend the light-weight title, didn’t efficiently defend the light-weight title.
“I might similar to to see the person competing at ’55, however this battle with Michael Chandler will not be going to be at 155 kilos. However I believe I must eradicate (the load) from the pay-per-view open course of as a result of it simply appears such a stretch. And I do hope for each their sake it’s at ’70, and Conor was simply saying that tongue-in-cheek.”
