The big talk after Conor McGregor's huge win over Jose Aldo at UFC 194 on Saturday in Las Vegas was what's next for "The Notorious."
Some want him to move to lightweight to fight for the title there. Others would prefer to see him stay at featherweight and defend his undisputed UFC title against the extremely deserving Frankie Edgar.
Well, according to his coach, both could happen in the next seven months.
John Kavanagh told Ariel Helwani on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour that McGregor is considering fighting for the lightweight title in March or April and then defending the featherweight strap against Edgar at UFC 200 on July 9 in Las Vegas. Kavanagh doesn't think McGregor will wait until UFC 200 like many expected and added he could be interested in fighting at Madison Square Garden in New York in April.
"I do think the next one will be lightweight for the belt," Kavanagh said. "Maybe that's going to be around April. March, April -- something like that. ... Maybe that and then July, UFC 200. Maybe he'll defend the featherweight belt against Frankie on that card."
Edgar is coming off a first-round knockout of Chad Mendes on Friday at The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale.
Kavanagh doesn't think McGregor will want to take a break until July and UFC 200 under any circumstances.
"He's never gonna wait until July," Kavanagh said. "Even if I was to suggest it or encourage it, I know it's a pointless effort."
McGregor (19-2) knocked out Aldo in just 13 seconds. Coming in, Aldo had not lost in 10 years, was the only featherweight champion the UFC had ever seen and was regarded as one of the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Now, the world is his oyster. Kavanagh said UFC matchmaker Joe Silva told him the ball was in McGregor's court as far as what to do next.
"I kind of said to him, 'Well, what's next?'" Kavanagh said. "He kind of said, 'Well, at this stage, it's kind of up to you.' ... I was like, 'I like how that sounds.'"
UFC president Dana White said afterward that Kavanagh had mentioned that he didn't want to see McGregor at featherweight anymore. Not true, Kavanagh said. The coach said he spoke with Silva, not White, and expressed his wishes to do lightweight next. But not necessarily permanently. Kavanagh said McGregor's weight cut run by guru George Lockhart was the best it has been.
McGregor laid out three possible options after UFC 194: fighting the winner of this week's lightweight title fight between champion Rafael dos Anjos and Donald Cerrone, defending the featherweight belt against Edgar or granting Aldo an immediate rematch.
McGregor is adamant that he won't vacate the featherweight title if he goes up to lightweight and fights for the belt there. White said on ESPN that he'd like McGregor to give up the 145-pound title and then "probably" have Edgar fight Aldo for the vacant belt. McGregor said he's active enough to hold both belts at the same time -- and that is his goal.
Kavanagh backed that up Monday. He even mentioned Max Holloway, who beat Jeremy Stephens at UFC 194, as a possible future opponent.
"Everybody's time will come," he said. "Everybody will get their shot against him. People have to be a little patient, but it definitely will come."