It looks like the UFC and new featherweight champion Conor McGregor aren’t in agreement on what will happen with the 145-pound belt if he decides to move up to lightweight. Conor knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to claim the title, and not long after the event ended, word came from UFC president Dana White that McGregor’s coach said to him that Conor might never make 145 again. He also said that if McGregor went to 155, he’d get the winner of the Rafael dos Anjos vs. Donald Cerrone title fight next week.
At the post-fight press conference, Dave Sholler confirmed that there were two options for McGregor – fight Frankie Edgar next, or drop the 145-pound title and move to lightweight.
When McGregor took the podium at the UFC 194 post-fight press conference though, he made it very clear that he has no intention of giving up his newly-won belt if he went to 155:
“If I go to the lightweight division, there’s no way in hell I’m vacating that belt. I’ll have one on one shoulder and one on the other.”
…
“I will be a dual-weight champion. There’s no going up and vacating. I am as active as any of them.”
So we’ll just have to wait to see how this turns out – will the UFC bend and allow Conor to keep his championship while fighting in another division? Or will he be forced to give it up if he goes up? Will he even go up at all right away? Lots to unpack after tonight’s event.
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