Stephen A. Smith has expressed his reluctance to see Conor McGregor face UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. While McGregor is set to face Michael Chandler in the UFC 303 main event on June 29, speculation suggests that a title shot could be in store for him if he emerges victorious.
Coach Javier Mendez has shown interest in having Makhachev fight McGregor after the latter brought attention to the staph infection he suffered during his UFC 302 training camp. Despite McGregor’s upcoming fight against Chandler, there is no denying that a potential showdown with Makhachev would attract a lot of attention due to their contrasting styles and personalities.
However, not everyone is excited about the prospect of seeing these two fighters face off. Smith, for instance, believes that McGregor should steer clear of facing Makhachev, given his struggles against grapplers like him in the past. Smith attended the McGregor-Nurmagomedov fight in 2018 and was impressed by the event. He emphasized that McGregor does not stand a chance against Makhachev in the octagon due to his grappling skills.
On the other hand, Mendez expressed his desire to see McGregor face Makhachev in the future, stating that McGregor’s behavior and drama are attracting attention. He believes that McGregor should be defeated by Makhachev and sees a potential fight between them as an exciting prospect. While McGregor highlighted his staph infection late in the game, Mendez acknowledged his observant nature but noted that McGregor’s timing was off.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether or not this fight will happen in the near future. However, one thing is certain – if it does happen, it will be an epic battle between two of the biggest names in mixed martial arts today.
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