MMA
Former UFC Middleweight champion Michael Bisping claimed that Conor McGregor wants to take back the lightweight belt in the easiest way possible and is praying for Dustin Poirier to win the lightweight title fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Lightweight champion Khabib will face Dustin in September for the championship in the main event at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi.
Bisping said that Conor is "probably hoping and praying Poirier beats Nurmagomedov" as the Irishman has already defeated the interim champion once some years back.
"He's probably hoping and praying that Poirier beats Khabib in Abu Dhabi,"
"If Poirier beats Khabib, obviously we all know Conor has that massive win over Poirier. He did it very, very easily. He made short work of Poirier back in the day."
"Alright, it was back in the day, it was at [145 pounds], but even still, if Poirier wins, there's a possibility of setting up that rematch. That's his shot - and easier shot at the title."
Bisping said on his Believe You Me podcast.
The former middleweight believes Conor Khabib rematch will definitely suppress the previous hypes and PPV sales due to the aftermatch incident that happened at UFc 229.
"I don't think he gets that fight [after UFC 242]," he added. "The Poirier fight, definitely, I can see them doing that.
"From the UFC's perspective, they're going to do it [the rematch with Nurmagomedov]. [The first fight] was the biggest pay-per-view ever, the rematch is going to be even bigger. Rematches sell, especially with the amount of bad blood, especially with what happened after the fight outside the Octagon. The rematch is going to be huge. I just think Conor has to win another fight first."
