Conor McGregor pulling for Cub Swanson – so he can smack him in the face with a pie

This weekend’s UFC Fight Night 57 events features a key featherweight matchup between Frankie Edgar (17-4-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC) and Cub Swanson (21-5 MMA, 6-1 UFC), with the winner potentially challenging for the belt next year. Conor McGregor knows exactly who he wants to win.

“I would like Cub to win for the specific reason that he seems to think he has been promised the UFC title shot if he wins this fight against Frankie,” McGregor said at a Monday press conference in Las Vegas. “So I want to him to win that contest, and then I will bake a freshly-made pie and smack him clean in the face with it when I get the title shot.”

Swanson currently sits at No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA featherweight rankings, with Edgar checking in right behind at No. 5. They meet at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 57 card, which takes place at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, and airs on FOX Sports 1 (10 p.m. ET).

Meanwhile, McGregor (16-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) is ranked No. 7, and his boisterous claims have his stock riding as high as anyone’s in the UFC’s featherweight division. The Irish featherweight believes he’s on the verge of something special in 2015, a run that starts with a January fight against Dennis Siver (22-9 MMA, 11-6 UFC).

There have been rumblings that a McGregor win could see him leapfrog any remaining contenders and advance straight to a title shot with current featherweight champ Jose Aldo, and even that it could take place in an Irish stadium. McGregor isn’t one to limit the possibilities for his career, and he seems to think he’s certainly on the verge of greatness.

“Let’s see by the end of 2015,” McGregor said. “Let’s see who has the highest pay-per-view numbers. Let’s see who has the highest gate. Let’s see who has the highest attendance, because I am setting up for that, and we are in talks for big, big things.

“I won’t look past Dennis; I will look through him, exactly where I plan on going, and then carry on. But I believe 2015 will be my year. I know a lot of the featherweights are bitching and moaning and hating on it, but they don’t have to love it. They can even hate it. But they will be forced to accept it.”

Of course, several things must happen between now and then. The next step is determining a winner in the Edgar vs. Swanson affair, and both of those men could potentially make a claim for Aldo, or at least for a bout with McGregor to determine a true No. 1 contender. McGregor isn’t bothered by either potential foe.

“I’d feel comfortable against both,” McGregor said. “Frankie has held the lightweight title. He’s challenged at a high level his whole career. He fights with his heart, but again, he’s an aging competitor. He’s on the downside of his career. I think that’s an accurate assessment. The same with Cub. I believe he’s aging. He looks 95 years old.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 57, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Conor McGregor)