Stephen A. Smith has expressed his disapproval of Conor McGregor fighting UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in the future. Coach Javier Mendez mentioned that he would like to see Makhachev face McGregor at some point, especially after McGregor revealed he had a staph infection during his training camp for UFC 302. However, Stephen A. Smith believes that McGregor should steer clear of grapplers like Makhachev due to his defeat against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018.
McGregor is set to return to the octagon on June 29 against Michael Chandler in the main event of UFC 303, and there is belief that he could earn a title shot if he emerges victorious. While coach Javier Mendez is interested in seeing Makhachev face McGregor as it would attract a lot of attention and create excitement among fans, Stephen A. Smith believes that McGregor should focus on different opponents and avoid engaging in a striking battle with him due to his grappling skills.
Makhachev recently defeated Dustin Poirier to retain his title in a tough main event, proving himself as a formidable opponent, especially in terms of grappling. If you want to read more about the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302. The original story was first reported on MMA Junkie.
