Say what you will about Conor McGregor—and you no doubt have by this point—but the man knows how to stoke a fire.
Last night, McGregor sent the collective mixed martial arts community into a breathless panic when he tweeted the following:
I am fighting @DiegoSanchezUFC in Mexico, November 15th. He spoke a big game. Now he will pay with his career. VIVA LA EIRE!!!
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) October 2, 2014
As of press time on Thursday morning, McGregor's tweet has been retweeted 3,152 times. It has been favorited 2,935 times. These are high engagement numbers for mixed martial artists on social media, even one with the burgeoning popularity of McGregor.
Needless to say, the fans approve of the bout. UFC president Dana White threw cold water on their excitement, telling ESPN.com's Bret Okamoto the fight isn't happening.
"That kid is nuts," White said. "No, he's not. He wants to, but he's not."
We should be thankful. As much as the notion of a McGregor-Sanchez fight pleases me (because imagine the violence!), it just doesn't make much sense.
McGregor is riding an incredible wave. His UFC career has been handled perfectly. He picked up wins over beatable opponents on Fight Pass, then made the jump to pay-per-view. There, at UFC 178, he dispatched Dustin Poirier with ease, and then called out both Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes. The UFC is flying McGregor to Brazil, where he'll sit cageside as Aldo and Mendes compete for the featherweight championship at UFC 179.
After that? It is hard to imagine McGregor not getting the next shot at the belt, even though he'll leapfrog several far more deserving contenders in the process.
Do you want to see McGregor vs. Sanchez?
Because money talks, and McGregor? Right now, he's money.
Which is why it makes no sense for McGregor to step in and face the aging Diego Sanchez. The violence-loving fight fan in all of us wants to see that fight, even though we'd probably feel a little bad about our decision in the aftermath of the fight.
Sanchez, one of the more popular and volatile fighters in the history of the UFC, is on the decline. If not for a gift decision over Ross Pearson in June, Sanchez would be on a three-fight losing streak. His enduring spirit is the only thing preventing him from falling over at this point.
I am sure McGregor vs. Sanchez would be a war, because Sanchez is exclusively involved in wars. I am also certain McGregor would starch Sanchez and, while probably not knocking him out (because one does not simply knock out Sanchez), would absolutely batter him from pillar to post in uncomfortable fashion.
War or not, this fight should not be made. It makes no sense for McGregor to move up and challenge a fighter in a different weight class.
Not right now, and especially not one who is not ranked and is on the downward slope of his career. Sanchez is beatable, but he is also dangerous in the way wounded animals are dangerous. And he's also the kind of wounded animal that might steal a split decision and ruin McGregor's hype train before it has a chance to roll into the championship station.
McGregor wants to make money. The UFC likes making money, and the promotion will be tempted to acquiesce to McGregor's demands. But this is one time it should put its foot down. As much as the UFC would like to get its new "biggest star in UFC history" out in the Octagon again, it makes no sense. McGregor should sit on the sidelines, travel to Brazil and then challenge the winner of Aldo vs. Mendes early next year.
