The interim heavyweight belt goes on the line in the main event at UFC 180. However, there's another fight on the main card that Conor McGregor fans should be paying very close attention to.
Top featherweight contenders Ricardo Lamas and Dennis Bermudez will throw down at UFC 180 in Mexico City this weekend. With both fighters ranked in the top ten 145-ers in the promotion, the likelihood is Conor McGregor might be facing one, if not both very soon.
Ricardo Lamas
Lamas is almost the polar opposite of the Notorious in terms of how he markets himself. He doesn't trash-talk his opponents or run his mouth in interviews. The number four-ranked featherweight just quietly goes about his business of beating up some of the baddest dudes on the planet.
Despite being one of the more reserved fighters in the UFC, Lamas admitted that McGregor's antics have gotten on his nerves a bit. The Notorious has had some pretty memorable quotes about Lamas' media persona (or lack there of), poking fun at the fact that he isn't a needle-mover. More recently, McGregor was quoted saying that Lamas didn't go out to win in his title fight against Aldo and that he "he fought like he was happy he got the chance."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV966mtK4Cs
This perturbed Lamas who responded to McGregor's goading in an interview with
Bloody Elbow earlier this year. Lamas called McGregor a "loudmouth and very unoriginal." If there is some bad blood between the two then a fight might very well materialise.
Lamas is arguably a more well-rounded fighter than McGregor but with 14 TKO's/KO's in his 16 wins, it's undeniable that McGregor's striking is scarily good. Lamas likes to always be on the front-foot, pressuring his opponent. However, he might not be able to achieve this against the Dubliner, who has become a master of finding angles and varying striking techniques.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvjGGWAsPlo
Lamas would try to close the distance but he will find great difficulty to this due to McGregor's counter striking prowess and speed. Ultimately McGregor's standing game should see him home to victory should the two face each other inside the Octagon. Either way, it would be an extremely fun fight for the neutrals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PZlFnddq-U
Dennis Bermudez
Number seven-ranked featherweight Bermudez is currently riding a seven-fight win streak in the UFC. A record like this usually results in a crack at the championship but McGregor has overtaken him to become the logical number one contender, according to Dana White. Needless to say, Bermudez isn't happy. As he sees it, McGregor has skipped the queue. That's the storyline the UFC can use to sell this fight.
If Bermudez defeats Lamas, which would mark easily the biggest scalp of his career. Suddenly The Menace gets propelled right into title contention. With McGregor already in the title frame, a bout between the two would almost be a certainty.
Bermudez is one of the most promising fighters in MMA. His last trip to the Octagon resulted in an outstanding submission victory over tricky veteran Clay Guida.He has proven that he can finish fights but his strengths lie mainly in his wrestling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgkKb6tXiVk
The single biggest criticism McGregor-haters have of the posterboy of Irish MMA is the fact that he has never fought an elite wrestler, and certainly not one of Bermudez's ability. That's what makes this fight a salivating prospect. It gives McGregor yet another opportunity to prove the doubters wrong and at the same time, a victory for Bermudez makes him an instant superstar.
At the moment, McGregor has the slight edge in this matchup but a dominant win over Lamas and who knows what could happen?
Ricardo Lamas takes on Dennis Bermudez at UFC 180 this Sunday November 16. the maincard kicks off at 3 am Irish time.
