MMA fans might view Conor McGregor as a sunken fighter, but they might alone in their thinking. People on the inside (of MMA) have been putting out feelers for his next fight, including UFC legend Anderson Silva, who thinks a catchweight fight with McGregor isn't too far removed from reality.
In an interview with Ariel Helwani after UFC 229, Conor was asked to name his dream opponent if a rematch with Khabib doesn't pan out. Conor said a fight with Anderson Silva, who hasn't fought since 2017, would satisfy a boyhood dream.
"Anderson Silva would be a great one, what's he at?" McGregor said. "I don't know why, Anderson Silva is a legend of the game, surely he wants a bit of cash." Conor was right to some degree, but Anderson Silva has accepted his challenge for the love of the sport. "It's not about money, Conor. It's about martial arts challenge," he told TMZ.
Anderson told TMZ, "I just waiting," he said outside the new Spider Kick MMA gym in West Hollywood. "I accept the challenge for Conor." Silva later added that Dana White would be required to make the right decision for the betterment of the sport and the UFC promotion. Evidently, Anderson is still at the epicenter of the MMA subculture, even at the grassroots level.