Coach wants Al Iaquinta vs. Conor McGregor next

After watching his fighter Al Iaquinta defeat Kevin Lee in the main event of UFC Milwaukee last weekend, Coach Ray Longo is hoping for an Iaquinta vs. Conor McGregor fight next.

The renowned coached explained the appeal of this fight on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour.

“I’d really like to see him fight Conor next,” Longo said (transcript via MMA Fighting). “I don’t think Conor deserves the Khabib rematch at all. It looks like they’re going to give Ferguson Khabib, which is 100 percent fair. That makes fair sense, not everything is fair sense, it’s money sense.

“But I’d like to see Al get a big money fight against a great guy who can bring a lot of eyeballs to pay-per-view. I think that would be great. I think Al deserves it and I think that’s a great matchup. I’d love to see it and I’d love to be a part of it.”

If Al Iaquinta is matched up with Conor McGregor, he’ll be forced to reckon with the Irishman’s patented trash talk. Ray Longo isn’t too worried about that.

“I think I’d rather run for political office than have that guy researching, doing my background checks,” Longo said. “But I don’t think Al gives a shit. I think it’s all good. I think Conor knows who he can get away with that shit with and who he can’t, he’s a street kid. I think that will be to no avail and that’s all good stuff.

“It’s entertainment at the end of the day, I don’t take anything personal at this point. Al just wants to fight. It’s almost like what he did with Kevin Lee. Same Al. That’s what you want to say? Now’s your time to do it. It’s put up or shut up.”

Does a fight between Al Iaquinta and Conor McGregor interest you?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 12/17/2018.