Conor McGregor's status as a contender makes a mockery of the UFC rankings, and bona fide lightweight challengers like Tony Ferguson could miss out on lucrative title shots against the champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor has not won a UFC fight since 2016 when he carried his trademark swagger into the Octagon and obliterated Eddie Alvarez. McGregor dominated Alvarez with quick-fire punch combinations, bruising front kicks, and left crosses that landed with such unrelenting accuracy that all Alvarez could do was fall to the floor, repeatedly, until he was beaten for good in the second round. "He didn't just do it, he did it flawlessly," the UFC commentator Joe Rogan said during the live broadcast at UFC 205 in New York. "Incredible, incredible performance." This was when McGregor was at the peak of his powers when he became the simultaneous champion of the featherweight and lightweight divisions. But he has been trending downward rapidly ever since. McGregor was stopped on his feet by Floyd Mayweather in a landmark cross-over, boxing-rules contest in 2017, then humbled by Nurmagomedov when he got dropped and stopped by the Russian wrestler in the fourth round of a wild fight the following year. In that time, Tony Ferguson has beaten Kevin Lee, Anthony Pettis, and, most recently, Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone on June 8, punctuating his reputation as one of the most monstrous all-around mixed martial artists in the division, and an athlete who could challenge Nurmagomedov in a potential all-time classic. Ferguson's most recent victory highlighted many of his greatest strengths — precise punching, an in-your-face tenacity, and an ability to fight at a merciless tempo thanks to his extraordinary endurance. The fight against Cerrone was Ferguson's 12th successive win, a run that stretches back to 2012. He has submitted opponents and knocked out others in what has been an unbeaten seven-year exhibition of elite jiu-jitsu and expert striking. Ferguson warrants a shot at the winner of September's title fight between defending champ Nurmagomedov, and the number one contender Dustin Poirier. But McGregor, third in UFC's lightweight rankings, has not won a fight for almost three years and could get a title shot before Ferguson, ranked second, who is undefeated in seven. ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto recently asked White about Ferguson, and whether his gauntlet run of wins trumps McGregor's popularity. White replied by saying he didn't know how he'd find the balance between satisfying Ferguson, which would be a rankings fight for Nurmagomedov, and pleasing McGregor, a per-view-view (money) fight. This follows comments to Bloody Elbow last week. White said McGregor "wants the rematch" and "feels he deserves the rematch before anybody else." Earlier in the year, White said McGregor and Nurmagomedov should fight in 2019 because "a lot of people want to see [it.]" The fact that McGregor is even in the title conversation makes a complete mockery of
Conor McGregor's status as a lightweight contender makes a complete mockery of UFC rankings
Conor McGregor's status as a contender makes a mockery of the UFC rankings, and bona fide lightweight challengers like Tony Ferguson could miss out on lucrative title shots against the champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor has not won a UFC fight since 2016 when he carried his trademark swagger into the Octagon and obliterated Eddie Alvarez. McGregor dominated Alvarez with quick-fire punch combinations, bruising front kicks, and left crosses that landed with such unrelenting accuracy that all Alvarez could do was fall to the floor, repeatedly, until he was beaten for good in the second round. "He didn't just do it, he did it flawlessly," the UFC commentator Joe Rogan said during the live broadcast at UFC 205 in New York. "Incredible, incredible performance." This was when McGregor was at the peak of his powers when he became the simultaneous champion of the featherweight and lightweight divisions. But he has been trending downward rapidly ever since. McGregor was stopped on his feet by Floyd Mayweather in a landmark cross-over, boxing-rules contest in 2017, then humbled by Nurmagomedov when he got dropped and stopped by the Russian wrestler in the fourth round of a wild fight the following year. In that time, Tony Ferguson has beaten Kevin Lee, Anthony Pettis, and, most recently, Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone on June 8, punctuating his reputation as one of the most monstrous all-around mixed martial artists in the division, and an athlete who could challenge Nurmagomedov in a potential all-time classic. Ferguson's most recent victory highlighted many of his greatest strengths — precise punching, an in-your-face tenacity, and an ability to fight at a merciless tempo thanks to his extraordinary endurance. The fight against Cerrone was Ferguson's 12th successive win, a run that stretches back to 2012. He has submitted opponents and knocked out others in what has been an unbeaten seven-year exhibition of elite jiu-jitsu and expert striking. Ferguson warrants a shot at the winner of September's title fight between defending champ Nurmagomedov, and the number one contender Dustin Poirier. But McGregor, third in UFC's lightweight rankings, has not won a fight for almost three years and could get a title shot before Ferguson, ranked second, who is undefeated in seven. ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto recently asked White about Ferguson, and whether his gauntlet run of wins trumps McGregor's popularity. White replied by saying he didn't know how he'd find the balance between satisfying Ferguson, which would be a rankings fight for Nurmagomedov, and pleasing McGregor, a per-view-view (money) fight. This follows comments to Bloody Elbow last week. White said McGregor "wants the rematch" and "feels he deserves the rematch before anybody else." Earlier in the year, White said McGregor and Nurmagomedov should fight in 2019 because "a lot of people want to see [it.]" The fact that McGregor is even in the title conversation makes a complete mockery of
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