Ricardo Lamas is out to pick a fight, and his sights are set on Conor McGregor.
The former featherweight title challenger is fresh off one of the most impressive performances of his career: a first-round submission victory over Dennis Bermudez last weekend at UFC 180. Now, the Chicago native isn't wasting any time looking for his next opponent. The Bully wants to get his hands on the surging Irish talent in the worst way and has no qualms with vocalizing his intentions to do so.
"I want to fight Conor McGregor next," Lamas told Bleacher Report. "He's had a lot to say on Twitter and talked a lot of trash, calling me a p---y and whatever. Then when someone asks you who you want to fight and there is a guy out there calling you a p---y, what do you think I'm going to say? Of course I want to fight McGregor."
In his eyes, Lamas believes the the SBG Ireland representative has been given a handcrafted path through the ranks of the 145-pound fold. And while Lamas takes nothing away from the talents of McGregor's opponents, he's also quick to point out how well their respective styles suited the Dublin native's strengths.
With a divisional upper tier packed with as many talented wrestlers as the featherweight fold currently holds, Lamas believes McGregor's matchups thus far under the UFC banner are a bit suspect.
In addition to the hard-charging former No. 1 contender being baffled by McGregor's sudden emergence into title contention, Lamas is even more confused by McGregor's decision to take a step back in the rankings to face Dennis Siver next year in Boston. Yet while Lamas suggests McGregor being paired with the German striker is another example of the Irishman trying to avoid facing a wrestler, he's not going to let up on his pursuit of a fight with the brash-talking contender.
"He's definitely a good name for the sport and brings a lot of attention to our weight class, but I just feel like the UFC has set him up with guys that match up well to his style," Lamas said. "I'm not saying they are setting him up with easy fights, because the guys he's fighting are tough guys in their own right, but they have been guys who are going to stand there and strike with him and not try to take him down. Even if they did, they are guys who don't have the wrestling experience to technically do it or make it count.
"These are guys who aren't wrestlers and don't come from a wrestling background. Diego Brandao is a jiu-jitsu guy, but he stands and strikes with everyone he faces. I think the UFC may be protecting their investment a little bit. I have also heard that his camp has specifically told the UFC not to match him up against wrestlers. So it's just kind of one of those things where if he's going to fight for the title, then he should have to go through a wrestler first. There are a lot of us up here at the top of the division. There's myself, Cub [Swanson], Frankie [Edgar] and there's Bermudez. We are all top guys who are all wrestlers, and none of us have fought him yet.
"Then he goes and calls out Dennis Siver?" he added. "That fight doesn't even make sense to me. After beating Dustin Poirier, you're going to go call out Dennis Siver, who has a lower ranking? It doesn't make any sense."
While Lamas has decided to pursue a bout with McGregor, there is another former title challenger in Chad Mendes who has taken aim in Lamas' direction. The Team Alpha Male standout's management recently told UFC Tonight's Ariel Helwani, via MMAFighting.com, that Money wants Lamas to be his next opponent. And while the Team Top Notch representative believes their paths will certainly cross eventually, now is not that time.
Or maybe it is. Lamas is pulling no punches on his quest for McGregor, but he could also see the UFC lining him up with Mendes instead. He's gunning for another shot at the featherweight crown and is determined to get there no matter whom they put in front of him.
"When I came off the loss in my title fight with Jose Aldo, I asked to fight Bermudez," Lamas said. "The UFC told me that wasn't going to happen and that I needed to build myself back up. They said we weren't on the same path, and that's the same thing with Mendes right now. If I can't land this fight with McGregor, it will probably end up being Chad and I, but we'll see what the UFC wants to do.
"I'm going back after that title, but I want to fight McGregor next."
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
