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UFC 199 notebook: Ricardo Lamas says it’s going to be hard for Conor McGregor to make 145 again
- Updated: June 4, 2016
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The longer it goes, the more difficult it will be for Conor McGregor to come back to the featherweight division, according to Ricardo Lamas.
“He’s still a young guy and he’s still growing into his body,” Lamas said Thursday at UFC 199 media day. “I think the older he gets, the harder it’s going to be for him to come back down to 145. The longer he waits, the harder it’s going to be on him. It’s a definite possibility he may never come back.”
Lamas was once a prime target of McGregor’s trash talk — and vice versa. Who could forget Lamas’ “Conrad McGillicutty” spoof of McGregor from early last year?
But that seems long in the past now. Lamas is focused now on regaining his position in the featherweight division. He was knocked out in the first round by Chad Mendes in April 2015, but is coming off a unanimous decision win over Diego Sanchez last November.
On Saturday, Lamas (16-4) will meet Max Holloway in a top contender bout at UFC 199 here at The Forum. Lamas thinks a win over Holloway, who has won eight straight, puts him right behind the winner of the UFC 200 fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar for a featherweight title shot.
“He’s got the longest win streak in the featherweight division right now,” Lamas said of Holloway said. “A win over him kind of steals that momentum and puts me up in front right after the winner of Aldo-Edgar, I think.”
Things are messy at the top of 145 right now. Aldo and Edgar will battle for the featherweight belt while McGregor, the featherweight champ, moonlights at 170 or 155 — or even a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather. (OK, probably not the last one.)
Lamas, 34, isn’t pondering any of that stuff as he heads into the latest biggest fight of his career.
“I try not to think about it too much, because it’ll rack your brain,” Lamas said. “A lot of it depends on McGregor if he does ever come back or not. Whatever. …
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