"I’m facing whoever the f*** has that LW title next" - Conor McGregor claims he'll be fighting for gold when he returns in 2022

Conor McGregor believes that when he makes his return from injury in 2022, he will immediately fight for the UFC lightweight title.

The Irishman suffered a gruesome broken leg in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. The injury ruled him out for the rest of the year and likely for a sizable portion of 2022.

UFC 264: Poirier v McGregor 3

Conor McGregor is currently coming off back-to-back losses against Poirier, who is preparing for his own title fight against Charles Oliveira in December. Currently waiting in the wings for a crack at the winner of the UFC 269 main event is Justin Gaethje, who recently defeated Michael Chandler at UFC 268.

However, it appears Conor McGregor believes he should leapfrog Gaethje and jump right into the title picture. In a recent Twitter post, 'The Notorious' stated the following:

"Hi lads, here goes.. clicks and the like. Your boss and what not. The Mac. Santy Claus. I’m facing whoever the f*ck has that LW title next. Deal with it. Take off your goggles and mark the trilogy “unfinished”. Deal with that too. The rest mentioned, after this. Deal. With. It."

---

Is Conor McGregor likely to get his wish of an immediate title shot granted?

Considering he is currently ranked at No.9 in the lightweight division, it is hard to imagine that the UFC would bow to Conor McGregor's wishes and give him an immediate shot at the belt.

However, with the name value that Conor McGregor holds, it certainly is possible. The Irishman consistently tops the yearly buys for the pay-per-view events he features in and is simply the biggest star the sport currently has to offer.

Depending on when McGregor is able to return, Justin Gaethje may be able to get his title shot in first. Even if he does, the likes of Islam Makhachev and Beneil Dariush are right behind him in the divisional pecking order.

Conor McGregor competing for the title is not a fight that is fair, but it may well be the most profitable for the UFC. Dana White is yet to comment on what the promotion's plans are for the former two-division champion in 2022.