Lynch's Mailbag: Should McGregor get title shot if he wins at UFC 246?
Welcome to Lynch's Mailbag, a weekly feature by senior MMA news editor James Lynch.
Send James a DM @LynchOnSports or an email at james.lynch@thescore.com to submit questions for next week's article. The following questions have been edited for clarity and grammar.
The fact that Conor McGregor may get a title shot after beating a war-torn Cowboy Cerrone, who's already coming off two losses, has dampened my enthusiasm for the UFC 246 main event. Has your enjoyment of the sport dwindled because of these "money fights"? - Tyler Gerhardt
I have no issue with McGregor fighting Cowboy instead of Justin Gaethje. Why? Because while McGregor is a superstar, losing two straight fights would be bad for business. McGregor's popularity goes beyond our MMA bubble, and his success pays dividends for the sport. I also think McGregor versus Cerrone will be very interesting from a stylistic perspective.
To be more direct, Cerrone is a notable name and McGregor can beat him. Gaethje doesn't carry the same popularity outside of the MMA bubble, and I would favor him over McGregor if they face off at any point this year.
I also believe that even if McGregor wins on Saturday, Gaethje should be next in line to meet the winner of the Khabib Nurmagomedov-Tony Ferguson lightweight title fight in April. Meanwhile, McGregor should look to make another "money fight" against Jorge Masvidal or Nate Diaz.
Cowboy will show up to fight, but will he show up to win? The idea that he'll stand and bang with Conor is insane (a notion Cerrone has expressed in interviews). - Tyler Gerhardt
Cerrone might just be teasing a game plan that would be entertaining for fans, but I agree - standing and trading with McGregor seems like a terrible idea.
Considering Cerrone owns 17 submission victories and McGregor has 18 knockout wins, why wouldn't Cowboy take this fight to the ground? In addition, all of McGregor's four losses have come by way of submission.
Despite what he's said, I think Cerrone saw that Nate Diaz's win over McGregor changed his career. He'll undoubtedly take this fight to the mat at some point and will look to win by submission.
How important is the fight between Kevin Lee and Islam Makhachev for the 155-pound division? Would you say it's the second-biggest bout to be made at lightweight that doesn't involve Conor McGregor - @TheDildaddy
This question was submitted prior to the reported Kevin Lee versus Charles Oliveira matchup that's set for March 14, but for argument's sake, let's say Makhachev was Lee's opponent. In that case, it would be an important fight for both sides.
For Lee, it would be an opportunity to carry over momentum from his TKO victory over Gregor Gillespie at UFC 244. Lee had lost two straight fights prior to that win. For Makachev, it would be his first real notable opponent in the division.
Years ago, Daniel Cormier told me that Makhachev was the best prospect at American Kickboxing Academy. We've seen glimpses of that since then, but Makhachev hasn't yet proved himself against a high enough level of competition.
I don't know why Lee-Makhachev didn't happen this time around, as both fighters clearly wanted it. However, it's a stretch to say that matchup would be the biggest fight at lightweight outside of Conor McGregor, considering neither man is ranked inside the top 5.
Why doesn't the UFC have more American champions fight in their hometown when defending their belt? Stipe Miocic versus Alistair Overeem (at UFC 203 in Cleveland) was sweet. - @Nicster1418
It comes down to money. The UFC knows markets like Las Vegas, New York, and California will generate the biggest profits. It's the same reason why McGregor doesn't have every single one of his fights in Ireland. Sure, the turnout would be great, but it still wouldn't generate cash like bouts in those bigger markets do. Meanwhile, the fighters also make more money when they compete in more notable locations.
Miocic was able to compete in his hometown of Cleveland on that UFC 203 card in 2016 because back then, the UFC had more options to spread out its superstars across events. But now, due to the current ESPN deal and with more events than ever each month, it's tough to put your champions in lesser-known markets.
Which Canadian fighter do you think will get signed by the UFC next? - @Jackattackto
The UFC mainly signs Canadian fighters for short-notice opportunities in Canada, and it usually depends on where the event is being held. Currently, the UFC hasn't announced any Canadian dates, so it's tough to say which fighter will get signed.
With that said, there are plenty of talented prospects in Canada who could find a new home with the UFC in 2020. One fighter who stands out - someone I've mentioned many times on theScore MMA Podcast - is 22-year-old featherweight TJ Laramie. The MTC Windsor product boasts an 11-3 record and his resume includes a dominant victory over current UFC featherweight Charles Jourdain in 2017.
Laramie's age, exciting fighting style, and record of facing tough competition on the regional scene (his opponents own a combined 98-51-5 mark) make him an easy candidate to get signed by the UFC. Here's an interview we did with TJ back in September:
At the very least, expect Laramie to appear on the Contender Series this year if the UFC doesn't pick him up outright.