Conor McGregor’s search for his next opponent lingers on, no thanks to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. That’s after ‘The Problem Child’ issued a mocking reply to the UFC star’s recent appeal quizzing his fans on who would make for a good opponent when he returns to the Octagon.
‘The Notorious’ last fought in July 2021 when he suffered a TKO defeat to Dustin Poirier, his second loss to ‘The Diamond’ in less than six months. McGregor, 33, was forced to stop after suffering a serious leg fracture at the end of the first round during their clash at UFC 264.
Paul—who has hinted at a transition into mixed martial arts—was quick to pile on the embarrassment and took aim at McGregor. The social media star even got a custom-made jewel-encrusted chain—reportedly worth $100,000 (£81,000)—sporting a decorative depiction of McGregor asleep with a broken ankle.
And the 25-year-old has once again taken aim at McGregor after the Irishman asked his 9.3million Twitter followers who he should face in his UFC return, writing: “My next fight is…” Paul responded with an edited photo of McGregor, where the former dual-weight UFC champion can be seen topless with dark shadows around his eyes, the whites of which have a pinkish hue.
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McGregor, meanwhile, will be reassessing his return plans after Charles Oliveira was stripped of the UFC lightweight crown. The 155-pound champion missed weight by half a pound ahead of his would-be title defence at UFC 274 earlier this month, meaning the belt remains vacant after he submitted Justin Gaethje in the first round.
Michael Chandler called McGregor out after devastating Tony Ferguson on the same card, while many fans have called for a much-anticipated conclusion to the Nate Diaz rivalry. Paul’s potential crossover into MMA throws another option into the hat, though such a match-up would require a significant change in stance from UFC president Dana White.