Giving Nate Diaz a title shot ahead of Khabib Nurmagomedov or Tony Ferguson could anger the MMA purists, who already believe Conor is stalling the two divisions. Diaz is the last guy to beat the champion however, and that is sometimes enough to be given a title opportunity.
Is Conor Stepping Away?
With Conor now calling for an equity share of the UFC, and announcing he has a baby on the way, it is unclear what 2017 will hold for him. At only 28 years old, Conor is most likely not looking to step away anytime soon, but he may choose to slow down. Conor has fought 4 times in the last 11 months. It is doubtful he keeps up the same pace in the years to come.
Rumours circulated that Conor was considering stepping away from the sport for a time due to the pending birth of his first child. At the UFC 205 press conference, Conor was unable to correctly state the month the child is due (he said March, but others corrected him and said May). This might point to Conor’s focus on his upcoming fight, or his lack of focus in other areas of his life. Regardless, he stated he wasn’t sure about raising a child while having such a large media spotlight shining on him.
Conor also stated that he is in his prime however, and stepping aside during his peak athletic years is perhaps an ill-advised move.
