Conor McGregor would be more likely to come away from a fight against Kamaru Usman with a broken jaw than the UFC welterweight title, according to Michael Bisping.
McGregor is recovering from a broken leg that he sustained in the latter of two losses to Dustin Poirier in 2021, and the Irishman has expressed a desire to return in late summer and challenge Usman for the belt at 170lbs.
McGregor became the UFC’s first ever dual-weight champion in 2016, winning the lightweight title less than a year after claiming the featherweight strap, and now the 33-year-old is keen to become the promotion’s first ever three-weight title holder.
“He’s talking Kamaru Usman. Now maybe he’s just trying to make headlines... maybe he’s just having a laugh,” said former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping, speaking on his YouTube channel.
“However, be careful what you wish for. Here’s the reality: Conor would take that fight. He probably walks around right now at about 180lbs. The man’s a fighter, none of us are scared of other men. Conor’s fought at 170 a few times – against blown-up lightweights, but still.
“He would take that fight and it would be huge, it would do mega, mega, massive pay-per-view numbers. Would the UFC allow that to happen? I guarantee Kamaru Usman is speaking to [manager] Ali Abdelaziz on a daily basis, saying: ‘Call Dana White, make that fight.’”
Bisping is doubtful that McGregor would upset the odds against Usman, with the “Nigerian Nightmare” having only been beaten once in 21 professional fights. Since then, the 34-year-old has won 19 in a row.
“It would probably rival Conor-Khabib [Nurmagomedov], because it would be so groundbreaking, it would be such a story,” Bisping continued, referencing the biggest pay-per-view in UFC history – a 2018 card that saw Khabib submit McGregor in the main event.
“However, here’s the bad part for Conor: He doesn’t have a cat’s chance in hell of winning that fight. I’m a realist, I know what I’m talking about.
“Kamaru Usman is a nightmare. For welterweight he’s absolutely gigantic. He’s incredibly strong, the wrestling is off the chain. The man can wrestle like crazy, he’d be able to take Conor down with no problem whatsoever. It wouldn’t be a competition. Cardio-wise, Kamaru has an advantage there.
“Conor McGregor vs Kamaru Usman might happen. Last time out, Conor broke his leg; this time out, he’s gonna break his jaw.
“It’s as simple as that. Kamaru Usman will break Conor McGregor’s jaw and have him drinking or eating out of a straw for quite some time. However, you never know, maybe I’m wrong.”
