Conor McGregor looks to have been offered the opportunity of a title shot against welterweight champion Kamaru Usman – and the chance to create yet more history.
The Irishman, the first fighter in UFC to hold two belts at the same time, has spent the past few weeks calling out a number of lightweight rivals, including champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim belt-holder Justin Gaethje.
However, the manager to those two, Ali Abdelaziz, appears to have given McGregor a route to the title at 170lbs, should No 3-ranked challenger Jorge Masvidal seek a rematch with Nate Diaz instead of going up against Usman.
Masvidal defeated Diaz in November, but on Sunday opened the door for another clash with his outspoken rival, tweeting “Let’s run it back”.
That could pave the way for McGregor to take on the formidable Usman, according to Abdelaziz, who also represents the Nigerian.
Taking to social media on Sunday, Abdelaziz tweeted: “It looks like #1 contender wants to fight Nate Diaz now. Good for him. [McGregor] hey you want a title shot? Come to daddy. [Usman] will give you one and he promise first 2 rounds without takedowns, only slaps.”
ESPN later reported Abdelaziz confirmed to them that he would give McGregor the opportunity to go up against Usman should Masvidal-Diaz II go ahead.
McGregor, who previously simultaneously held the featherweight and welterweight crowns, has not fought since January, when he snapped a 14-month hiatus from the sport by defeating Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds. The bout took place at welterweight. As of yet, no fighter in UFC history has won titles at three different weights.
Usman, meanwhile, was last in action in December, seeing off Colby Covington by a fifth-round TKO. He is unbeaten in 11 fights since joining the UFC in 2015 and had been expected to take on Masvidal next.
The latest round of back-and-forwards regarding who faces who was sparked in part by McGregor's musing at the weekend on the greatest mixed martial arts fighters of all-time.
True to form, the former two-weight champion said he should be considered second on the list or even joint-first, alongside Anderson Silva. The claims prompted a backlash from a number of high-profile foes, including Nurmagomedov.
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