Ireland's UFC king Conor McGregor warned not to go up in weight
Wednesday 16 December 2015 21:50, UK
Conor McGregor has been told he will struggle to adapt to the bigger power and extra physicality if he decides to move up in weight soon to fight for the lightweight title.
The UFC's lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos faces Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone on Saturday night in a title fight in Orlando and the sport's president Dana White revealed the winner's next bout would be against McGregor if the popular Irish featherweight champion decides to move up from 145 to 155 pounds.
Dos Anjos and Cerrone dislike each other, but they agree McGregor's fists would not pack quite so much punch in the larger weight class.
"He gets a lot of hype, and he's a good fighter," Dos Anjos said. "But if he comes to the lightweight division, he's going to get hurt."
McGregor ended featherweight champion Jose Aldo's 10-year, 18-fight winning streak with a stunning knockout just 13 seconds into their title fight at UFC 194 in Las Vegas.
The Dubliner repeated his intention afterwards to become a simultaneous two-belt champion, although he was not sure when he will try it.
"He's too small to come to 155," Cerrone said. "His jaw is powerful. He's got good talk. But he won't fare (well) with the top (lightweight fighters). He might do good with the lower-ranked guys if they do the same thing they did with the (featherweights) and pick and choose his guys, but if they throw him in the (lightweight) top 10, no way."
McGregor has recorded devastating stoppage victories in five straight fights and six of his seven UFC bouts.
His vicious striking power has backed up his bold public pronouncements about taking over both divisions.
"I'm looking to replicate what I've achieved in a previous (promotion): a two-weight world champion held consecutively," McGregor said moments after beating Aldo. "I said I would do it, and I will do it."
Cerrone understands why McGregor is entertaining the prospect of a lightweight title attempt while the Irishman acknowledges that his weight cut to 145 pounds is gruelling, and his coach would prefer that McGregor no longer attempted such dramatic weight loss in the days before his fights.
"It's like me going to 170 (pounds)," Cerrone said of the higher welterweight division. "I could do it, sure, but those guys are coming down from 200, 210 pounds. That's why they make weight divisions, man."
Cerrone does not think McGregor's power will work as well on bigger opponents.
"I don't have a personal problem with Conor," Cerrone said. "He's playing the game. He's a salesman. But if he wants to sell the fight, I don't have a problem with that. If he wants to pump up the fight, I'll slap him around and call him a little schoolgirl."
Although the "Cowboy" thinks it is a bad idea for McGregor, he would welcome the payday that will come to the opponent lucky enough to be matched with McGregor's pay-per-view drawing power.
Cerrone even volunteered to travel to Dublin for the bout.
"I'd go to Ireland. Why not?" Cerrone asked. "I'd stay over there for two weeks, too. Teach them Irish boys how to drink."
