Al Iaquinta: Conor McGregor Needs to Go Through Me to Get a Rematch with Khabib

Al Iaquinta might have been somewhat overlooked heading into the UFC on Fox 31 headliner.

Despite already owning a victory over Kevin Lee in their initial meeting more than four years ago, Iaquinta was a betting underdog in their rematch on Saturday night. The Serra-Longo Fight Team product ignored those odds, as he outlanded Lee on the feet and survived a couple back takes to earn an impressive unanimous decision victory at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

“What a fight. I came to fight tonight, I knew he’d be tough,” Iaquinta said. “We had a lot of preparation for this fight and when I have that, I can beat anyone in the UFC.”

Iaquinta, who already owned a decision win over Lee at UFC 169 in 2014, had Lee attached to his back following takedowns in rounds two and three. Both times, he avoided a submission, and down the stretch, he was able to outbox “The Motown Phenom” in the championship frames.

It’s a victory that bodes well for Iaquinta, as Lee looked like a serious contender following a dominant triumph over Edson Barboza earlier this year.

“Never doubt my cardio, it’s my No. 1 weapon so I knew if we got to rounds 4 and 5, I’d be able to get him,” Iaquinta said. “At the end of 2019 I’m going to be holding the UFC lightweight championship.”

Iaquinta has now won six of his last seven Octagon appearances, with his lone defeat during that run coming in short-notice title fight against reigning champion Khabib Nurmagomeodv at UFC 223. While there has plenty of talk of Conor McGregor getting a rematch with Nurmagomedov due to the heated nature of their rivalry, Iaquinta believes the Irishman has some work to do in order to earn that opportunity.

McGregor lost to Nurmagomedov by fourth-round submission at UFC 229. Iaquinta, meanwhile, went the full 25 minutes in a decision defeat against “The Eagle.”

“If Conor wants a rematch against the champ, I’m the guy he has to go through,” Iaquinta said. “He tapped out. I took it like a man on [one day’s notice]. I’m the toughest guy in this division.”