Brendan Schaub’s bold prediction for Conor McGregor’s next opponent

While there’s no denying that top ranked lightweights Tony Ferguson and Khabib Normagomedov are both deserving of title shots, newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor could be making his first title defense against a different opponent.

That’s if former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub’s prediction turns out to be accurate. He spoke on The Joe Rogan Experience:

“He goes, ‘Now that I have a kid, I know what I bring to the table, I want to be set financially for the rest of my life. You guys want me to fight again, I’m going to need to be set for the rest of my life. I want part of this pot.’ And his next fight, and it’s gonna be such a fight, is gonna be with WME. It’s not with anyone out there, if you think he’s fighting Ferguson or Khabib next you’re bat shit crazy. It’s not happening for a very long time.”

“I don’t so (that they’ll work it out), I don’t know, this is just me going off whatever the hell I think, but I think his next fight would be with Nate for the belt at 155 (lightweight), because if you look at Khabib and Tony, they’re both totally deserving. One of those guys deserves it. As far as numbers and a big pay-per view, it would have to be Nate I think.”

“100% [they would do Nate again], that has to be the matchup.”

With that being said of course, over the course of fight week leading up to UFC 205, McGregor and UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley were involved in several altercations backstage, leading many to speculate as to the possibility of a McGregor vs. Woodley fight for the welterweight championship.

Schaub weighed-in, saying:

“I think you’d see a fight with Woodley before you see a fight with Khabib or Ferguson. I think Khabib and Ferguson will fight each other before anything else.”

With McGregor demanding that the UFC give him a piece of equity in the company following his historic win on the biggest card in UFC history, do you think McGregor and the WME-IMG owners will give McGregor what he wants, or will he sit on the sidelines ahead of the birth of he & his girlfriend’s child?