Conor McGregor's big return to the octagon this weekend didn't quite go to plan. The Notorious one was TKO'd inside two rounds, with Dustin Poirier gaining avenging his loss in their previous bout back in 2014.
There's been a lot of talk online following the fight, with many calling McGregor done, washed, finished. It seems the fight has stripped McGregor of some of the aura that previously surrounded him. A man that once seemed untouchable now looks mortal. With McGregor still the face of the UFC and the company's biggest moneymaker by far, Dana and co will be desperate for the Irishman to get back to his best and soon.
That being said, what will Conor's next move be? Well, according to his coach, Coach Kavanagh, the 31-year-old is eager to immediately run it back and complete the trilogy with Poirier, this time for the soon to be vacant lightweight title. It's not clear whether that will be the case, but we decided to rank what we think are the five best options for McGregor's next opponent.
Spoiler alert, there's absolutely no mention of Jake Paul in the list. While it would be fun to watch McGregor knock his head off and maybe even humble him, it does nothing for Conor's career, like at all.
5. Dustin Poirier
While a rematch against Poirier, completing their trilogy would likely be the biggest draw of these five fights, it's not a wise one to take if Conor's serious about being a real contender in the 155lb division.
Dustin showed how far he has come following their first meeting and executed the perfect game plan in taking McGregor out. The first lasted less than eight minutes, but Poirier showed he could take Conor down - admittedly he couldn't keep him down, but that may be due to both fighters being fresh - he showed his chin would hold up against Conor's power and he showed he knew how to beat the Irishman, with his leg kicks seriously altering McGregor's movement and ultimately leading to the Diamond knocking him out.
McGregor can't risk losing two straight fights in the UFC. While he'll still be regarded as the biggest draw in the company regardless, it's Conor's ability to draw casual viewers in to watch his fights that makes him so valuable to Dana and the company. If he loses back to back fights against Poirer, leaving him 1-3 in his last four fights, he risks losing a lot of the fans that seemingly only show up once he enters the octagon. That being said, there's every chance Conor learns from this defeat and comes back to beat Dustin in their trilogy bout, but at this point, why risk it?
He also doesn't deserve a shot at the title right now, so a fight or two against other lightweight contenders is just what he needs before he makes a play to reclaim his title.
4. Justin Gaethje
If Dustin Poirier's leg kicks managed to take Conor out, I can only imagine the damage Justin Gaethje's would do.
Gaethje is known for the vicious leg kicks he inflicts on his opponents, so unless McGregor learns to start checking them, this wouldn't be a very fun fight for him, at all. That being said, Gaethje has shown a real habit of being hit. His movement isn't the smoothest and that's something we've seen Conor take advantage of in past fights.
Gaethje is tough and has superb wrestling in his arsenal, but it's not something we've ever really seen him go to during his MMA career. If Conor can deal with Gaethje's leg kicks and the American fails to use his wrestling, he has every chance of making a huge statement and forcing himself back into the title picture.
3. Michael Chandler
Another huge talking point coming out of UFC 257 was the explosive debut of Michael Chandler. Chandler, a former three-time Bellator lightweight champion, arrived in the UFC with a bang, knocking Dan Hooker out in the very first round.
It's what he said after his fight that's put him on this list though. In his post-fight interview, Chandler called out Dustin Poirer, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor, claiming he wanted to fight all three.
Now, Khabib is almost certainly gone for good and Dustin shouldn't fight for anything other than the title in his next bout, something I'm not sure Chandler has earned yet, leaving Conor. I've followed Chandler's career for years and was thoroughly impressed with his debut win inside the octagon, but this fight is definitely one I'd favour McGregor in.
One of Conor's best attributes is his ability to control distance and make the most of his reach advantages, something I anticipate he'd do to perfection against Chandler. Conor is just too long and, at his best, too quick and accurate with his striking for the former Bellator man to even get close. That being said, Chandler is a superb wrestler so he could cause McGregor serious issues if he manages to take the fight to the ground, but Conor's takedown defence has been strong in the past and if he can avoid the takedown, this fight is his for the taking.
2. Rafael Dos Anjos
A name I've seen a number of fans talking about online for a potential next fight for Conor is the man he was originally supposed to face for the lightweight title almost five years ago, Rafael Dos Anjos.
RDA recently returned to the lightweight division after several years fighting at 170lbs and he made a statement in his return, dominating Paul Felder back in November. That being said, this is a matchup I really like for Conor. Dos Anjos, similarly to Chandler, would need to take the fight to the ground to stand any chance of winning this one. His striking is just no match for McGregor.
Although he defeated Felder, Dos Anjos isn't the fighter he was five years ago and I didn't like his odds against Conor back then, so I certainly don't now. If Conor is serious about fighting regularly and focusing on taking back the lightweight title, a convincing win over a former champion is just the right way to go.
1. Nate Diaz
The trilogy. At this point, it makes sense for both men. This was Conor at his best. His most entertaining. The two fights he shared with Diaz were some of the highest-selling pay per views in UFC history. The only fight that would likely sell more would be a rematch with Khabib, but with the Russian seemingly gone for good, completing the trilogy with Diaz makes a whole lot of sense.
Diaz, similarly to Conor, has been largely inactive since their last fight. Only fighting twice since August 2016, but with the Stockton native seemingly intending to return to the lightweight division himself, the two should finally close the book on their storied rivalry.
At this point in his career, I'm not sure I see Diaz posing much of a threat to Conor. I'm not stupid enough to ever rule a Diaz out though and the two would likely produce some incredible fireworks once again.
In his post-fight interview with Jon Anik, Conor pointed a finger towards his inactivity inside the octagon as a major reason for his defeat and if he believes that's the case, he'll be wise to ensure he's fighting in the octagon again very soon and Diaz is the perfect man to come up against.
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