Conor McGregor has shifted his focus towards a welterweight title fight upon his UFC comeback, which the former dual-weight champion expects to take place in “late summer” at the earliest.
McGregor suffered a broken leg in his last fight, a defeat by Dustin Poirier in July, and the Irishman has said for some time that a summer return is on the cards.
McGregor, 33, had also been targeting a lightweight title shot despite his poor form in recent fights, but champion Charles Oliveira will defend the belt against Justin Gaethje in spring, ruling the Brazilian out as a potential opponent for McGregor.
“Notorious” has now said his main goal is to become the UFC’s first ever three-weight champion, calling out welterweight title holder Kamaru Usman.
“Myself versus Usman for the 170lbs title in my comeback fight is the one I’m eyeballing at the minute,” McGregor told The Mac Life.
“Why cut the weight? I’ve already won the 155lbs title. I got myself to a lightweight frame, but you know, I’m big now. I feel big, I feel strong, I feel healthy, I’ve got good energy. I’m coming back from a gruesome injury. I don’t want to be depleting myself. There should be no need to deplete myself.
“And I feel confident against Usman – a jab-happy, sloppy, orthodox wrestler with no submissions whatsoever. What’s he going to do? Where’s the danger here?
“I don’t see danger.”
Usman, however, is rumoured to be defending his title against Briton Leon Edwards in July, meaning a clash with McGregor in the near future is unlikely.
“No one has ever obtained three titles in three divisions like I will do if we make this fight,” said McGregor, who became the UFC’s first ever dual-weight champion in 2016 by adding the lightweight title to his featherweight belt. The Irishman defended neither belt, however, before being stripped of both.
“I’m very excited, there is history to be made,” McGregor said. “This game needs to be shook up again. The triple crown has never been done.
“Late summer I could [return], but I want to be true to myself and bring out the best in myself. I want to do this for my fans and the people supporting me. I want to show the best I can possibly be.”
