Jose Aldo Wants Conor McGregor for Next Featherweight Title Challenger

Add an important name to the list of those who want to see Conor McGregor as the next featherweight title challenger: the champ.

UFC featherweight belt holder Jose Aldo said during a Q&A session in Brazil Friday that he hoped the fast-talking, hard-striking Irishman was next in line to face him for the title.

"I hope he’s next because it would be a huge fight," Aldo said, according to a report from MMAFighting.com's Guilherme Cruz. "He’s a tough fighter, but we haven’t seen him against a top five. He’s not ready, but the promotion he does is good. He’s a good athlete. He talks a lot. If he doesn’t talk that much, he wouldn’t be where he is today."

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Though the compliments he offered toward McGregor are mainly of the backhanded variety, Aldo clearly understands the appeal (and the large payday) that a match with McGregor would provide.

The 28-year-old Aldo (25-1) is the first and only featherweight champion in UFC history, and he is widely considered one of the two or three best fighters on the planet. 

The 26-year-old McGregor (16-2) is 4-0 since joining the UFC in early 2013. Though he is understandably known mainly for his bluster in front of the microphone, he has also proved to be a very good fighter. He is particularly competent as a striker, having notched three of those four UFC victories by knockout.

McGregor is facing a dangerous kickboxer in Dennis Siver in one month's time at UFC Fight Night 59. The event will take place in Boston, which is a natural fit given that McGregor proudly hails from Dublin.

Still, despite McGregor's talent and charisma, he would probably be an underdog against Aldo. During the Friday Q&A session, Aldo said McGregor was probably not as good as the fighter he just dispatched: Chad Mendes.

"I see Chad as the best of them," Aldo said, according to the MMAFighting.com's report. "If you put [Frankie] Edgar, Conor or [Ricardo] Lamas, he beats all of them on the same night."