Conor McGregor is the biggest star in the UFC—perhaps even more so now that Ronda Rousey has suffered a much-publicized fall from grace. The Irishman is, along with Rousey, the only true guarantee for the UFC in the pay-per-view space and the most regular big money name in combat sports as well, with Floyd Mayweather out of the game.
Thus it stands to reason that people are already excited about McGregor’s comeback, even if it could be down the line as much as 10 months. He’s said he’s waiting for the birth of his first child before he gets back in the cage, but he also said that he might try to squeeze something in before that child comes, so anything is possible at this point.
Either way, the only thing that talks more than McGregor himself is cash. If UFC ownership either flies to Dublin or picks up the phone and starts talking numbers and big fights for the lightweight champion, it’s even more likely that he might be talked back the cage sooner rather than later.
In consideration of that fact—and also of the fact that McGregor has been active in three weight classes over the past 13 months—what follows is a list of prospective opponents for the most polarizing man in the game to mull over as he returns to the gym and prepares for his next entry into the Octagon.
