Conor McGregor: UFC featherweights are ‘praying I don’t come back’ down

LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor has altered many things going into this rematch with Nate Diaz. One of them? Not making any decisions yet on what will be next after UFC 202.

That’s a marked difference from past fights. Before UFC 196 and prior to Diaz stepping in for an injured Rafael dos Anjos, McGregor was talking about winning the UFC lightweight title and moving up to face then-champion Robbie Lawler for the welterweight belt at UFC 200.

There was a plan in place at that point. Being one or two steps ahead, like a master at chess, is one of the things that has made McGregor stand out.

The loss to Diaz in March has caused him to change course. Right now, Diaz avenging that defeat on Aug. 20 is the only think the brash Irishman is focusing on.

“I don’t even pay attention to it,” McGregor said Friday night at a gym day. “Right now here I am, a couple days out from a big one. I’ll think about who’s next and what’s next and all those other guys talking sh*t after the fight.”

UFC president Dana White told UFC.com this week that McGregor would return to the featherweight division to defend his belt, whether he beats Diaz or not. McGregor said he read that article, but has not decided either way what he’ll do next. And facing Jose Aldo, who just beat Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 to win the interim title, again is not something McGregor seems to be too interested in.

“If Frankie had have won that last fight after all the sh*t he was talking and his team was talking, it would have been set in stone, I’m going back there to shut that man up,” McGregor said. “But …

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