Michael Chiesa Sees A New Lightweight Champion In 2017

Michael Chiesa may not have a fight scheduled thus far in 2017, but he does have his sights set on UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor. But Chiesa thinks that, by the end of 2017, McGregor will no longer be the UFC Lightweight Champion.

“Tony Ferguson and Khabib, you have to fight the winner of that fight,” Chiesa said on 5ive Rounds Podcast. “I mean, dude, you're good, but you're going up against a guy who is 24-0, multiple sambo world champion, or a guy that would be on a 10-fight win streak. Sooner or later, Conor is going to have to come out and fight. Whether he's taking this hiatus himself or the company is putting him on ice, who knows? But I don't see him staying champion.”

Currently ranked as the No. 8 contender in the lightweight division, Chiesa (14-2) thinks McGregor will not keep the 155-pound title because he is relatively small for that division.

"Conor is good, but I really don't think he's a true lightweight," Chiesa said. "That's what I'm saying. With the landscape of this division, I don't see Conor ending his year as champion. And you put me in there, I'm going to drag him to the ground and beat him too. I'm a huge lightweight. I'm as big as Nate or bigger, and we saw how many problems Nate gave him."

McGregor's most recent fight was at UFC 205 in November, where he defeated Eddie Alvarez to win the UFC Lightweight Title.