Conor McGregor is looking to move up and no longer concerned about the UFC’s bantamweight champion.
At one stage, earlier this year, a superfight between McGregor and TJ Dillashaw looked a distinct possibility.
The Dubliner first clashed with Dillashaw at UFC 184 when both fighters were attending the event headlined by Ronda Rousey.
Ahead of UFC 189, in July, Dillashaw then told Submission Radio of his ambition to face McGregor in the octagon.
“Obviously,” he began, “I’m going to believe in myself and I’m going to win that fight. I feel that I can hold my own with [McGregor] striking.
“I know that he’s a big 145 pounder so his reach will give me a little bit of trouble, but you know, to work my way in and use my wrestling pedigree.”
McGregor beat renowned wrestler Chad Mendes at UFC 189 but had not forgotten about Dillashaw, a month later, when he predicted his jump from Urijah Faber’s Team Alpha Male and labelled him ‘a snake’.
During the TUF 22 filming, McGregor seemed to dismiss the notion of taking on the 135lber.
“He’s too small,” McGregor declared. “It’s that simple. Every shot would cripple him. It would break his whole, entire life… I giggle at the numbers he gets.”
This morning, Dillashaw spoke about McGregor, and the numbers game, in an interview with MMA Junkie Radio. He commented:
“Conor has to do more work than we guys do. He deserves the pay-cheques he is getting because that guy has to do ridiculous media. He lived in Vegas [for it].
“That guy and Ronda, I think my life is busy but it does not even compare to what those guys are doing.
“It does show that they should be getting paid more for it. I just wish we were all getting paid that bit more… This [promotion] is making a lot of money.”
Dillashaw takes on bantamweight challenger Dominick Cruz at UFC Fight Night 81 next month.
If he retains his belt again, he may have to look elsewhere for a fight because McGregor seems set to try his luck at lightweight and press Rafael Dos Anjos for his belt.
