Conor McGregor tipped to earn shock title shot with win over ‘very hittable’ Tony Ferguson in must-win UFC return
CONOR MCGREGOR has been tipped to catapult himself back into the lightweight title picture with an emphatic victory over Tony Ferguson.
The Notorious is seemingly on the verge of facing his long-time rival in his eagerly-anticipated comeback after a second stint coaching The Ultimate Fighter.
McGregor's potential clash with the former interim 155lb champion provides him with the chance to pick up his first win in over three years
And former middleweight champion Michael Bisping can foresee the Irishman skipping the queue for a title shot if he puts away El Cucuy in a decisive fashion.
The Count said: "Whether you like it or not Conor's still the biggest star in the sport.
"And with one win you can bet your bottom dollar that he's going to fight for the title.
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"Of course, he is, and the reality is that if you own the organisation and you've got a guy like Conor who can bring in millions of PPV buyers you'd probably do the same thing.
"I don't agree with it, but that's just the way the world works."
McGregor and Ferguson's recent skids, two and five fights respectively, have seen them fall out of the lightweight top 15.
But Bisping believes fan favourite Ferguson is the perfect and most "hittable" opponent for McGregor to get back into the groove.
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He said: "Conor McGregor vs Tony Ferguson - Tony's very hittable and Conor's very good at hitting.
"Tony hasn't won, I think he's lost five in a row now, sadly for him.
"He got knocked out against Michael Chandler, what a knockout that was, absolutely beautiful.
"Tony's in a tough spot right now and Tony should probably retire.
"It's a good comeback fight for Conor.
"Find his mojo, knock someone out, get his confidence and potentially set up a title fight."
Former two-division champion McGregor hasn't set foot inside the octagon since breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
But Mystic Mac is seemingly fighting fit after his painstaking rehab and dramatic body transformation.
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Ferguson, meanwhile, was last in action at UFC 279 last September against Nate Diaz.
The Ultimate Fighter season 13 winner suffered a fourth-round submission defeat to Diaz, who has now left the UFC.