Ten dream match-ups for Conor McGregor on EA SPORTS UFC 2

You have the power.

No longer are you restricted by Joe Silva's decision-making, lengthy injury lay-offs or spells on the sidelines. EA SPORTS UFC 2 comes out this week and it means that you can decide who you want some of your favourite fighters to go toe-to-toe with. Conor McGregor, being the biggest superstar in the sport, has no shortage of fight offers on the table but realistically he can only fight a maximum of three times a year. That means some potential match-ups will never be realised. But they can be when you've got the controls. We've imagined ten dream match-ups for 'The Notorious' and considered how they'd play out on EA SPORTS UFC 2. This is the one that everyone wants to see and Frankie Edgar is likely the biggest threat to Conor McGregor's featherweight title. McGregor would enjoy the reach advantage and size advantage but Edgar is so gritty. In EA SPORTS UFC 2, Edgar's greatest attributes are his stellar cardio, his relentless ground-and-pound and he's ranked at Level 5 in the 'Carved of Wood' category which means he has an incredible recovery time. If not for a broken foot, we'd have already seen this one take place. This was always going to come down to a battle between forward pressure and elusive movement and we anticipate McGregor getting a lightweight title shot if he successfully defends his title. Fans of the franchise will notice in EA SPORTS UFC 2 that there is an improved resemblance to fighters, both in terms of appearance and movement. Rafael dos Anjos plants his feet and comes forward just like he does in real life and McGregor keeps it 'nice and flowy.' Interestingly, Conor McGregor is the top-ranked striker in the game... at featherweight. At 145 lbs, 'The Notorious' is ranked at 99 in the stand-up realm. But when he moves up to lightweight, that drops to 92 which means that Donald Cerrone is thought to enjoy a striking advantage over McGregor at 155 lbs. The pair have gone back and forth with trash-talk for almost a year now and it would be nice to get some closure by squaring them off with one another. Injury lay-offs be damned, you can get as much Khabib Nurmagomedov action as you could dream of. The only undefeated lightweight in the UFC's top 15 rankings would cause fits for McGregor in the grappling exchanges and with a more in-depth, dynamic grappling realm in EA SPORTS UFC 2, it will take some getting used to if you are to avoid being put on your back by the Sambo specialist. No longer the last man to beat McGregor, Joe Duffy would be the perfect opponent for McGregor in your first fight on EA SPORTS UFC 2. This All-Ireland clash was decided on the ground when they met at Cage Warriors 39 but Duffy's stand-up has come on leaps and bounds since 2010. Both men are considered crafty counter punchers, with Duffy a Level 2 in the game and McGregor a Level 5. Who would lead this one? If you watched Tony Ferguson's last fight, you'll be well aware that 'El Cucuy' is an absolute wizard on the mat. The new 'Next Level Submissions' element of EA SPORTS UFC 2 means that McGregor would have to mind his Ps and Qs in the scrambles as Ferguson can cinch up a high-elbow guillotine or triangle choke as quick as a flash with his long limbs. That's right. You can make this happen. The original mixed martial artist against the epitome of the sport's iteration in 2016. Could Bruce Lee, of all people, be the man to dethrone McGregor at featherweight? Lee's timing is his greatest trait and after parries, he counters quicker than anyone in the game. Can Conor McGregor keep Eddie Alvarez away from his hips? It's a tough ask but even if the freestyle wrestler can get 'The Notorious' to his back, the new ground controls will allow you to be as cerebral as possible and get back to your feet. No longer are sweeping and submissions entirely dependent on furiously rotating the analog stick in one of four directions. You will be prompted to move the sticks in various directions with much more detailed results - regaining half-guard, snatching double underhooks and threatening with subs, all on offer. The top striker at lightweight makes for an intriguing match-up with 'The Notorious.' With more fighter-specific motion, the difference between Anthony Pettis' decidedly Taekwondo style and Conor McGregor's more Karate-centric technique is genuinely apparent. It may not be as intriguing now as it would have been to see both fighters clash in their prime but this still makes for fireworks. McGregor's mentality has been compared to that of BJ Penn due to the fact that both fighters express an interest in fighting anybody at any weight. 'The Notorious' holds the edge on the feet but Penn is a master BJJ practitioner. He actually won the World Championships at black belt just three years after starting his training.

EA SPORTS™ UFC® 2 innovates with stunning character likeness and animation, adds an all new Knockout Physics System and authentic gameplay features, and invites all fighters to step back into the Octagon™ to experience the thrill of finishing the fight. From the walkout to the knockout, EA SPORTS UFC 2 delivers a deep, authentic, and exciting experience.

UFC 2 is in shops from March 17.