Conor McGregor is now calling to jump the queue and fight for UFC gold in his comeback bout after his initially planned return was canceled.
The legendary two-weight world champion was due to face Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in his first fight since breaking his leg three years ago against Dustin Poirier. But a broken toe forced him out of that bout, and he hasn’t been re-booked for this year.
Instead, Chandler is going to face Charles Oliveira, while the Irishman has to wait for his return to the cage into another year. And despite wanting to face the American next, he has now called out a new challenger.
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Conor McGregor calls out Belal Muhammad for UFC title fight
Since losing out on the Chandler fight, Conor McGregor has remained pushing for a return to the octagon. However, he has been forced to wait until the end of the year until his next bout is confirmed, with his long-touted opponent fighting in the meantime at UFC 309.
Instead, he wants to come back and immediately fight for welterweight gold against Belal Muhammad, who just dethroned Leon Edwards for the belt at UFC 304. McGregor was appearing on a Kick stream for Duelbits, where he was asked about the potential of fighting the current champion.
“He’s woeful,” McGregor claimed during an intense rant. “I want to fight him. Okay, Chandler’s matched, let’s schedule Belal-McGregor UFC welterweight world title on the line. I’ve multiple knockouts at 170lb, I’m a force to be reckoned with at 170lb.
“I do damage at welterweight, check the stats. I’ve done them at 100 per cent accuracy, this man doesn’t even have a knockdown in UFC history. Not one knockdown, it’s embarrassing, to be honest. I was kind of slow rolling the person because I just don’t a b*****s.
“They’re all bums in the thing. You don’t be interested, come to me, but for the strap? Yes, next, yes please. Stall it Dana and the lads.”
Belal Muhammad uninterested in Conor McGregor fight
However, he may have to convince the Chicago native, who after calling for a fight with McGregor for years now holds all the cards. As welterweight champion, he is being pursued by a number of top fighters and isn’t interested in waiting for McGregor.
“Legacy-wise, obviously I would want to slap Conor around,” he told Submission Radio. “But there would be too much for it not to happen, right? It took him this long to fight this fight. It took him this long to make this fight happen with Chandler.
“I’ve got to sit here and wait two years, so no, it’s not going to happen. I’ll give it to the guys that are actually fighting, guys that are actually putting the work in and guys that deserve it. Conor doesn’t deserve it.
“I hope he fights Chandler, because I feel bad for Chandler, that Chandler waited this long for it. So I hope that fight actually happens. But honestly, I don’t think it happens.”
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