Stephen A. Smith has expressed his reluctance to see Conor McGregor face UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Coach Javier Mendez has shown interest in having Makhachev fight McGregor after the latter brought attention to the staph infection he suffered during his UFC 302 training camp. Despite McGregor’s upcoming fight against Michael Chandler in the UFC 303 main event on June 29, there is speculation that a title shot could be in store for him if he emerges victorious.
Mendez expressed his desire to see McGregor face Makhachev in the future, stating that McGregor’s behavior and drama are attracting attention. He believes that McGregor should be defeated by Makhachev and sees a potential fight between them as an exciting prospect. While McGregor highlighted his staph infection late in the game, Mendez acknowledged his observant nature but noted that McGregor’s timing was off.
Smith, on the other hand, recalls McGregor’s defeat by Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018 and believes McGregor should steer clear of facing Makhachev. Smith attended the McGregor-Nurmagomedov fight and was impressed by the event. He emphasized that McGregor struggles against grapplers like Makhachev and does not stand a chance against him in the octagon.
Having witnessed McGregor’s shortcomings against grapplers in the past, Smith is cautious about McGregor potentially facing Makhachev. He believes that Makhachev’s grappling skills pose a significant challenge for McGregor and that it would not be in McGregor’s best interest to engage in such a matchup. For more information on the upcoming fights, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.