Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos is the latest fighter to come forward as Conor McGregor’s returning opponent.
“Notorious” has been out of action since July 2021 due to injury, but is now fully recovered and is expected to make his highly anticipated return to MMA in 2023.
During McGregor’s time away from fighting, dos Anjos won one and lost one in the 155-pound division before moving back up to welterweight where the Irishman plans to compete on his return.
On Saturday night, the Brazilian used his grappling skills to nullify and knock out 170-pound veteran Bryan Barberena in two rounds at UFC Orlando.
In his last fight, dos Anjos passed recently retired Frankie Edgar for the most time in the octagon in UFC history – and it’s a record he’s clearly proud of.
“He’s strong as hell. This guy is great, it’s my return to welterweight, I’m so glad I got the ‘W.’ I think I’m the guy with the most hours in the octagon,” dos Anjos said after the fight.
After making history, dos Anjos turned his attention to the sequel and quickly called out a potential opponent he was supposed to fight for UFC gold in 2016.
Determined to make history after his knockout victory over featherweight king Jose Aldo, ‘Mystic Mac’ moved up to 155lbs and was booked to face dos Anjos, who was the then Divisional Champion.
The pair shared an epic press conference which saw McGregor bizarrely dressed as Mexican gangster ‘El Chapo’, but the fight never happened as dos Anjos was sent off with a foot injury and replaced by Nate Diaz who picked up a monumental upset victory over the UFC. biggest star.
McGregor finally became the first double-weight champion in UFC history when he stopped Eddie Alvarez, the man who dethroned RDA, in two rounds at UFC 205 in 2016.
Now dos Anjos wants his long-awaited shot at McGregor who he claims – without evidence – is using performance-enhancing substances during his time out of the US doping test pool.
“Conor McGregor, seven years ago I won that fight,” he told UFC Orlando.
“We were supposed to fight, I broke my foot. He has a few months to cleanse his body of everything he takes. I am here. I will see you in July.
Dos Anjos joins a long list of people hoping to welcome McGregor back into action, as Jorge Masvidal, Charles Oliveira, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje and even Floyd Mayweather have called him this year.