There was nothing quite like McGregor’s run at 145 pounds, in which he tore through the division and claimed the UFC featherweight title with a historic 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo to end the Brazilian’s nine-year unbeaten streak.
However, after capturing the lightweight title to reach dual-champion status, McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) never defended either belt – which Bisping thinks puts an asterisk on his place in the UFC’s greatest featherweights of all time.
Instead, he thinks Alexander Volkanovski’s upcoming trilogy fight against Max Holloway could determine the best UFC featherweight in history.
“If Volkanovski pulls it off, he will then be, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest featherweight that the UFC has ever seen,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “Of course, that was Jose Aldo, ‘The King of Rio’. Then Conor McGregor knocked him out in 13 seconds, but he then never defended the belt. He vacated and then went up to 155. So therefore, whilst McGregor had a crazy run at 145, he doesn’t go down as one of the greats.”
Featherweight champion Volkanovski (24-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) defends his title against Holloway (23-6 MMA, 19-6 UFC) in a rematch at UFC 276 on July 2, and if he can beat the ex-champ for a third time, Bisping thinks he’ll cement his place as the No. 1 145-pounder the sport has ever seen.
Volkanovski expressed interest in a move up to lightweight if he gets past Holloway, and Bisping is all for it.
“If Volkanovski gets the job done, he’s going to fight Charles Oliveira later this year,” Bisping added. “Double-champ, superfight, and I can’t wait for it.”
I would be way more interested in seeing Conor fight the top guys at 145 now then when he was in the mix.
Obvious fact is obvious.
How tf does he not? lol stupid ass take.
Look at his run at 145
- Volk
- Max
- Aldo
You can discuss the top 3 they’re interchangeable but Conor is clearly no. 4 it’s not that much of a debate.
Throw Pitbull in there maybe
He can in the top 5-7. Still considered top
Aldo is the fw goat in my book.
Conor versus Yair, Volk, Katter, Emmet would all be fun fights and more fun stylistically than a lot of lightweights.
3 out of those 4 guys carry no large recognition at all and all 4 could likely beat Conor so he’ll agree to fight none of them.
I read “….agree to fight none of them” in Conor’s accent.
Like an NCAA commit announcement, table with all their hats, Conor: “I’ve agreed to fight…fooking none of them!”
Then dumps the whole table and storms off yelling.
Exactly. “Ah wull faht fookin nunuhdem!”
Whoever he fights, he desperately needs a win. If he plans on fighting Floyd again, he better plan on calling it after that, because that may be the end of his legitimacy.
He might not be the greatest but I favor him over any FW on that list.
You’re saying a man who fought 2 people who are generally regarded as the FW and LW goats avoids difficult fights?
Aldo is in the discussion at the GOAT in any division. How can anyone put Max, Conor or Volk ahead of him with a straight face