8 Most Viable Opponents For Conor McGregor

High-profile conflicts are intrinisic to UFC's growth and continually mounting popularity. It's undeniable that there's throngs of diehards that will set aside their entire Saturday night to watch an event filled with burgeoning talent, also-rans and the occasionally important main event irregardless of promotional material, but this is not the principle driving force behind why WME/MMG acquired the UFC from the Fertita Brothers for a staggering $4 billion. Money is destined to be made when two outspoken individuals dispense with the verbal sparring to stand across from one another in the octagon and that's exactly what has happened with the ongoing rivalry between Conor McGregor and Stockton's crown prince Nate Diaz.

The result of a happy accident after then Lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout with McGregor due to injury, the eventual confrontation that followed the expletive laden build-up to UFC 196 saw the majority of fans learn what it was like to watch the seemingly indestructible McGregor lose for the first time since he faced Joseph Duffy in Cage Warriors way back in 2010.

Shaken by this stumbling block and zealously ridiculed by his detractors, he would go on to avenge this loss in a hard-fought battle at UFC 202. A war in which the momentum swung on numerous occasions, it's easily in contention for fight of the year and has left many pining for the 'rubber match' between the two brash and innovative brawlers. Seemingly dismissed as a possibility by Dana White whenever it's mentioned in an interview, it's hard to know whether it is genuine disdain for the idea or a thinly veiled promotional tool that exploits the perceived unlikelihood of the fight taking place to ensure that it becomes an even more earth-shattering event when it is formally declared.

With both Nate's camp and Conor McGregor's coach/ longtime mentor John Kavanagh lobbying for the fight to take place alongside massive fan support for the notion of seeing them trade blows one final time, the fact that Conor has now captured the Lightweight crown adds an another enticing dynamic to the contest and makes it all the more likely to be scheduled. Throw in the fact that Conor naturally gravitates towards the 'big-money' bouts and seems to want to attain full financial security as the birth of his first child looms in the distance, the earnings from the highly anticipated conclusion of their feud would likely be enough to get him into the octagon quicker than a fight with an arguably more worthy yet lesser known challenger.