Dana White and the UFC have been doing well coming into the end of the decade. The UFC has a history of making stars, Conor McGregor being one of them. While he did not fight in 2019 and the UFC proved the show goes on with or without him, 2020 could be the year fans see McGregor in the cage to make up for the lost time.
With a fight already booked against Donald Cerrone on January 18, when looking ahead at 2020 speaking to ESPN not only is McGregor in a conversation for facing Khabib Nurmagomedov again (more on that in a bit), but he is said to want to fight three-times in 2020 according to White.
When asked about how the outcome of McGregor’s fight with Cerrone at 170 pounds puts him in line for Khabib Nurmagomedov and the other contender’s at 155 pounds, White said, “Because Conor wants to fight three times this year and he’s hoping, if he beats ‘Cowboy’[Cerrone] he can turn right around and fight Khabib [Nurmagomedov].” However, even White thinks McGregor may be thinking too far ahead. “That timing and math doesn’t work out,” said White but added, “You know Conor. Conor thinks the way Conor thinks.”
The bad luck of booking fights in the past between Tony Ferguson and the current lightweight champion in Nurmagomedov is one reason White would like to entertain McGregor’s plan. It makes for a nice back up with the 155 bout booked for April at UFC 249. This is the fifth time the fight has been made so having a high profile opponent in waiting is not a bad idea.
“We’re getting through this one first,” White said of the upcoming bout between McGregor and Cerrone. While Cerrone has lost his last two, White does not think McGregor or anyone should count Cerrone out for UFC 246. “Cowboys lost two in a row before, and come back on unbelievable runs,” White added about Cerrone’s recent losses and said, “Let’s not count Cowboy out.”
Do you think McGregor gets past Cerrone?
