Recently reigniting his rivalry with former interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson this month, UFC star, Conor McGregor has opened as a sizeable favorite to defeat the faltering veteran in a potential grudge match between the two.
McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner of the UFC, will face the job of ending a two-fight losing skid to another former interim titleholder, Dustin Poirier, sidelined since July 2021.
On that occasion, the Dubliner dropped a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to Louisana native, after fracturing his left tibia and fibula in the opening frame.
However, for Ferguson, the one-time proprietor of a record-setting 12-fight winning run in the lightweight ranks, most recently dropped his worrying sixth consecutive loss back in July on the main card of UFC 291, the Oxnard native was submitted in the third round with an arm-triangle choke loss to Bobby Green.
And in the time since his loss, Ferguson has drawn the attention of Crumlin striker, McGregor, who claims he has not “forgotten” about their longstanding rivalry, vowing to put an end to the California veteran’s storied mixed martial arts career.
Conor McGregor opens as betting favorite ahead of Tony Ferguson
Welcoming a long-rumored pairing between himself and the former two-weight gold holder, Ferguson has opened on many markets, however, as a sizeable +230 betting underdog to beat the Dubliner – who is priced currently at -280 on many markets.
A host of outlets and bookies are already taking wagers and punts on a potential future fight between Conor McGregor and Tony Ferguson before the close of this year, with BetBrain promotions also offering intriguing information on certain odds and potential prop bets on a scrap between the pair.
Long-rumored to eventually share the Octagon with Ferguson, it appeared Conor McGregor was all but set to fight the former interim titleholder back in 2017 or 2018, after the former minted himself as the interim lightweight champion with a submission win over the recently-retired, Kevin Lee.
However, despite winning divisional gold against Eddie Alvarez in 2016, McGregor was stripped of the crown due to inactivity inside the Octagon, as he pursued and competed in a lucrative professional boxing match with former world champion, Floyd Mayweather back in 2017.
And since his gruesome leg injury suffered against Poirier, McGregor, 35 has been long-expected to also fight would-be common-foe and former title chaser, Michael Chandler – having served as an opposing coach on The Ultimate Fighter 31 earlier this year against the Kill Cliff FC staple.
Gearing up for his own continued stint in the organization and within the sport itself despite his disappointing string of losses, Ferguson has scoffed at critics and those advising him to consider his retirement from the sport, claiming he had no intentions of hanging up his gloves from combat competition.
Replying to McGregor, former interim champion and fan-favorite veteran, Ferguson urged the former to put pen to paper on a bout agreement if he is somehow slid a contract across the proverbial table in the future.
Without a win since 2019, coincidentally, Ferguson’s most recent win, akin to Conor McGregor, came via a doctor’s stoppage TKO win over recent Hall of Fame inductee, Donald Cerrone back in 2019.
