Alkass Digital
Stephen A. Smith strongly opposes the idea of Conor McGregor facing off against UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Coach Javier Mendez expressed his desire for Makhachev to fight McGregor after the latter revealed his staph infection during his training camp for UFC 302. However, McGregor is set to return on June 29 against Michael Chandler in the UFC 303 main event, and if he emerges victorious, many believe he could earn a title shot.
Mendez, on the other hand, sees McGregor's recent actions as an opportunity for Makhachev to face him in the future. Mendez believes that McGregor's attention-seeking behavior could lead to an exciting matchup with Makhachev. McGregor's mention of his staph infection, although late, caught Mendez's attention.
However, Stephen A. Smith disagrees with the idea of McGregor taking on Makhachev. Reflecting on McGregor's previous fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018, Smith believes McGregor should steer clear of grappling specialists like Makhachev. Smith recalls the intensity of the McGregor-Nurmagomedov fight and emphasizes that McGregor is not suited to face a skilled grappler like Makhachev.
In summary, while Mendez sees potential in a McGregor-Makhachev matchup, Smith firmly believes that McGregor should avoid facing Makhachev due to his grappling prowess.