Conor McGregor OK not waiting around for UFC title shot

Conor McGregor believes he is the No. 1 contender in the UFC’s featherweight division, but he isn’t about to wait around to have a title shot handed to him.

Following McGregor’s (16-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) first-round knockout of Dustin Poirier at UFC 178 in September, UFC President Dana White said there’s a high probability McGregor would be next to challenge for the 145-pound title.

That time frame seemed to work out perfect for the Irishman, as UFC featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo (24-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and challenger Chad Mendes (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) are set to collide for the belt at UFC 179 this weekend in Brazil.

McGregor will be in attendance in Rio de Janeiro for the event, which would appear to perfectly set up a fight with the winner of Aldo and Mendes.

That may no longer be the case, though, as in a Tuesday interview with BT Sport, McGregor claimed he wants at least one more fight before challenging for UFC gold.

“Of course I want to take another fight because I know what way it has gone in the past,” McGregor said. “The champion has pulled out because of injuries and things get delayed. I’m not holding back. I’m not sitting and waiting. Some people might want to sit and wait. Ultimately I already envision the belt as mine. Now it’s about the money. I want to get that money. I want to take another fight.”

McGregor’s rise to stardom in the span of four UFC fights is rare. His outlandish and bold personality has made him a magnet for attention, and his win over Poirier validated him as a top-tier talent.

Some have criticized McGregor for the fact he’s has already jumped into title discussions when the likes of Cub Swanson and Dennis Bermudez have established lengthy winning streaks inside the octagon. McGregor brushes off those notions, though, and believes he brings something to the table that other contenders don’t.

“I am the No. 1 contender – it’s that simple,” McGregor said. “I hold the key to the biggest attendance, the biggest gate, the football stadiums (in Europe). I hold the key to that, and they know I hold the key to that. I am the No. 1 contender.”

If a title fight was guaranteed for the next couple months, McGregor said he would happily wait for the opportunity. However, the unpredictable nature of the sport paired with the recent inactivity of Aldo and Mendes leads McGregor to believe he could be in a for a long wait.

As a result of that belief, McGregor said he recently spoke to UFC officials about a potential next opponent.

“We have spoke,” McGregor said. “We won’t say nothing, but we have spoke with Lorenzo (Fertitta), with Dana (White), Uncle Frank (Fertitta). We will see what happens. I am definitely looking to keep busy. In this game, as long as you are fit, as long as you are healthy, get in and compete. Get in and get rich. That’s my approach on it anyway.

“Anything can happen in this game. You could be sitting out. Other fighters would like to sit out and wait for a title shot – I am already in my mind am the champion. Let’s just continue racking up them bills.”

It’s possible the winner of Aldo and Mendes could come out of UFC 179 completely unscathed and be prepared to compete again in the near future. McGregor isn’t banking on such circumstances coming to fruition, though, especially because he thinks Aldo, who typically only fights twice a year, will retain the belt.

“I think Chad has focused a lot on his athletic ability and becoming a better athlete, but his athleticism is not what let him down in the first contest,” McGregor said. “It was his technical ability. I see a similar contest. Aldo has had the injuries as well. He’s been back and forth. In seeing how it plays out, I see a second round stoppage. Something very similar to the first contest.”

For more on UFC 179, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.