5 reasons why Conor McGregor should call out Islam Makhachev for his next fight

#2. A fight with Islam Makhachev could be the closest thing Conor McGregor could get to a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov

Could Islam Makhachev act as a proxy for Khabib Nurmagomedov in a fight with Conor McGregor?

Conor McGregor has always been the type of fighter who loves nothing better than to avenge an earlier loss. We saw that in his pursuit of a rematch with Nate Diaz after his loss to the American at UFC 196. That was also seen when McGregor pursued Dustin Poirier for a trilogy bout following his defeat to the latter at UFC 257.

Of course, the one rematch ‘The Notorious’ has never been able to get is with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Despite their initial clash at UFC 229 being the most bankable fight in UFC history, Khabib never seemed all that interested in rematching the Irishman, even when he was offered millions of dollars. Since his October 2020 retirement, a potential McGregor-Khabib rematch seems more unlikely than ever.

In that sense, a fight with Islam Makhachev – a training partner and close friend of Khabib – might be the closest thing possible for Conor McGregor to that rematch.

Not only does Makhachev fight with a very similar style to Khabib, but he’s also been labelled the 'heir to Khabib’s throne' and 'the new Khabib' on multiple occasions. Some observers have even claimed that Makhachev is the superior of the two.

The UFC might not be able to market a rematch between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, but a fight between ‘The Notorious’ and Khabib’s protégé would definitely be the next best thing. Would it sell hugely? You bet – which is another reason why McGregor should look to set it up.

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#1. If Conor McGregor could beat Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov may be tempted back to the UFC

Could Conor McGregor tempt Khabib Nurmagomedov back into the UFC if he were to beat Islam Makhachev?

Officially at least, Khabib Nurmagomedov has been retired from MMA since his October 2020 victory over Justin Gaethje. In Khabib’s eyes, there’s no reason for him to return to the UFC, even for a huge money-making rematch with Conor McGregor.

However, ‘The Eagle’ remains under contract with the UFC. That means if he were to return from retirement, it would have to be with the world’s biggest MMA promotion. So if Conor McGregor cannot get Khabib to come back by abusing him with trash talk on social media, maybe the best route might be to defeat his protégé Islam Makhachev inside the octagon.

Essentially, this would be a plotline right out of a movie or pro-wrestling. If ‘The Notorious’ could defeat Makhachev – preferably in violent fashion – and then call out Khabib afterwards, would ‘The Eagle’ really be able to resist?

It’s difficult to say, but there’s definitely a possibility that Khabib'd take the bait. If he did, of course, the rematch between the two could be even bigger – meaning more money at the end of the line for both parties.

It might sound crazy, but a win over Islam Makhachev might be the only way for Conor McGregor to tempt his biggest rival back into the UFC – making it a worthy pursuit.