Despite what he says about owning the game and being more active than anybody else, he's clearly burned out at this point, so yeah, he definitely needs it.
It's all fun and games when you're on top. The real test comes after a loss. That's when you pay the tax of celebrity, and Conor is paying his tax just like Ronda was post Holly Holm.
This recent stumble aside, he's a better taxpayer than Ronda, although that's not saying much. Nevertheless, he's not some mythical being or once in a generation athlete. He's a big 145er who has a heck of a left hand. LW is one of if not the most competitive weight class in the UFC. A number of people will give him a ton of problems at LW, with or without the sabbatical.
I have no interest in him fighting a no name like Duffy, who already lost to the French dude Conor beat. The Duffy sub was ancient history. Conor needs to stay stubborn and go for the gold at LW, so whether he wins or gets wrecked the popcorn will be glorious. F tune ups. Win big or get rekt big, that's the way of the popcorn.
