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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Ben Davies

Former UFC champion explains why Conor McGregor should fight Jorge Masvidal

Henry Cejudo believes Conor McGregor should fight Jorge Masvidal on his UFC return due to the bout's potential pay-per-view success.

McGregor is continuing his rehabilitation from the broken leg he suffered in defeat by Dustin Poirier last July, and has been posting footage of himself doing a mixture of boxing and MMA training. It is the Irishman's intention to return at 170lb which he c onfirmed on social media this week having piled on the pounds since his recovery began.

There have been several call-outs aimed at McGregor during his time out of action, including hugely popular star Masvidal who has yet to fight since losing to Colby Covington in March. And former double-champion 'Triple C' believes a fight with 'Gamebred' would be ideal for McGregor's striking style due to the lack of potential grappling in any meeting.

“This is a good fight for Conor McGregor,” Cejudo said on his YouTube channel. “Why? It’s because there’s really no grappling involved. You want guys that can strike and that want to strike and don’t want to grapple. And plus, Jorge Masvidal he hasn’t won a fight.

"I think he’s on a three-or four-fight losing streak? Something like that? But I think Jorge Masvidal would be the best return for him, 170 pounds. They both have the mouthpiece. Just imagine how many pay-per-views they could sell.” McGregor has even discussed an immediate return to the summit of the division by stating his intentions to make a challenge for the belt currently held by Leon Edwards.

And Cejudo has revealed he would not be surprised if that was the case, adding: “He’s earned it not though accolades, but he’s earned it through sales. He’s earned it through the numbers. I think Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards would welcome him. That would be their No. 1 pick, so the champ should also have a say, too.

Conor McGregor hasn't fought in the UFC since last July (Zuffa LLC)

Who wins if the pair fought - Conor McGregor or Jorge Masvidal? Let us know in the comments section below

“At the end of the day, I wouldn’t be mad at it, but I kind of probably would be. I have mixed emotions, but at the same time, I feel like Conor has really earned his stripes. But it comes through sales.”

Masvidal and McGregor went back and forth trading verbal barbs earlier in the year on social media, which had fans excited who would love to see the two huge pay-per-view draws touch gloves. A fight between the pair would make sense with both fighters on a losing streak, with McGregor having won just one of his last four UFC exploits.

'Gamebred' reiterated his call-out back in June, when he told ESPN Deportes. “I am going to give everything inside me to kill him. I have a little size but he is still a little boy. I would love to fight at 170 pounds, but I don’t wait for anyone. If he wants to do it, I’ll break his face. If he doesn’t want to do it, let someone come next."

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