UFC matchmaker and John Kavanagh disagree on where Conor McGregor’s fighting future should lie

All we know for sure in terms of Conor McGregor's fighting future is that he will be contesting a welterweight bout with Nate Diaz at UFC 202.

After that, who knows what's in store for 'The Notorious'? All signs point towards a featherweight title defence against Jose Aldo, the interim 145 lbs champion, but McGregor has made no secret of the fact that he believes he can claim lightweight gold too. The cut to 145 lbs, as consistent as McGregor has been in making it, is a tough one and the Dubliner's head coach John Kavanagh has admitted that he would prefer to see his star pupil fighting more healthily at lightweight. "In my personal opinion, I would like to see Conor at 155 lbs," Kavanagh said recently on an episode of the Anik and Florian podcast. "That's just me as his long time trainer, and in some way like his big brother. I would be encouraging him to stick with 155 lbs but that's just my small opinion.

"Whatever Conor wants to do, Conor will do. Whatever he says to me he wants to do, I will support him.

"With the likes of George Lockhart, on board, he made 145 lbs against Aldo very comfortably last December. His current walk around weight is around about the same as his walking around weight making 145 anyway. It's not like he has gained a lot of weight and it is impossible to go back down. He could do it.

"But you, asking me for my personal opinion, I would encourage 155 lbs." Matchmaker for the lighter weight classes, Sean Shelby, is hopeful that McGregor doesn't follow his mentor's advice too closely as Shelby has claimed that he is setting up future opponents for the Irishman at 145 lbs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KSDwYcpbxg "I'll be lining up fighters for him," Shelby said on The UFC 202 Watch List. "I fully believe he will be back with us again, with me, at the 145 lb division." Our money is on a title defence at featherweight before the talk of a lightweight championship bout starts up again. But with McGregor, there is no such thing as a certainty. Exclusive interview with Paraic Duffy on the latest GAA Hour. Subscribe here on iTunes.