English fighter Michael Bisping has insisted Conor McGregor is living a charmed life after Rafael dos Anjos’ withdrawal from the main event at UFC 196.
The Brazilian pulled out of the bout with McGregor due to a foot injury on Tuesday, and it’s since been confirmed Nate Diaz will step in to take on the featherweight champion, per the UFC.
Bisping, who is set to face middleweight icon Anderson Silva this weekend, thinks the way things have fallen suits the Irishman, per MMA Junkie:
As far as a replacement, Conor’s going to be at an advantage against whichever replacement they bring in simply because it’s extremely short notice. It’s only just over a week away. So Conor is one of the luckiest men in MMA. Of course he’s extremely talented, I’m not taking anything away from him, but he keeps getting these fights with guys on short notice. God bless him.
Indeed, it’s not the first time McGregor has been in this kind of situation. Jose Aldo pulled out of a scheduled bout between the pair at UFC 189 and was replaced by Chad Mendes, who was knocked out by the Notorious.
In fact, in four of McGregor’s last eight fight build-ups, the opponent has dropped out, meaning replacements have been drafted in with a variety of different times to get in shape. Of course, with less time to prepare, that’s going to leave anyone challenging the Irishman at a disadvantage.
Looking at things from McGregor’s point of view, it’s not ideal for him either. As noted by Bleacher Report's Mike Chiapetta, given the bout with Diaz is set to be at the welterweight limit, the featherweight champion is making a huge jump up and subsequently a massive gamble:
McGregor going from 145 to 170 in a single fight as a reigning champion is damn bonkers. I hope everyone realizes that. What a sport.
— Mike Chiappetta MMA (@MikeChiappetta) February 24, 2016
The bout with Dos Anjos was set to be at lightweight, too, meaning at such a late stage—UFC 196 is scheduled for March 5—the Notorious will be well into his cut and would have conducted all his preparations meticulously with the Brazilian in mind. Such significant alterations can only serve as a distraction at this juncture.
McGregor can only continue to beat the fighters put in front of him. Many anticipated Mendes would have been a more difficult fight for the featherweight in terms of style than Aldo, but he put him down in the second round. Then, when he did face off against Aldo, the fight was over inside 13 seconds:
Blink and you'll miss it!
The Conor McGregor @TheNotoriousMMA #UFC fight in full#GoneIn13seconds
Plus, even though opponents continue to fall short in preparations for fights with the Irishman, he has never once flinched. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden joked it’s little surprise that Dos Anjos became the latest fighter to withdraw from a showdown with McGregor:
Shouldn't be a surprise. It took Aldo two times to build the courage to show up too. pic.twitter.com/bELyxWtoIm
— Jonathan Snowden (@JESnowden) February 23, 2016
To accrue a stature in the sport of MMA like McGregor's requires a share of fortune, but it’d be harsh to attribute the rise of this remarkable fighter to luck. Not only does he always seek to push himself, for fans, the announcement of Diaz has cushioned the blow of Dos Anjos’ withdrawal; McGregor always keeps things exciting.
Few in a position of such privilege would be willing to jump up two weight classes and face a hardened competitor like Diaz on their welterweight debut. To get through this kind of challenge, McGregor will need a lot more than luck on his side.
