McGregor’s welterweight days are over, says Dana White

UFC News – No more welterweight fights for Conor McGregor. At least, not if UFC president Dana White can help it.

During UFC 203: Miocic vs. Overeem fight week, White made the local media rounds and appeared on a Cleveland-based Sports Podcast.

While on the show to promote last Saturday’s pay-per-view event, White was asked whether a third fight between McGregor and Nate Diaz was likely to happen.

“I made that fight twice. That’s it. It’s time to move on because (McGregor) has the 145-pound title,” said White.

McGregor is the UFC featherweight champion. The first fight with Diaz materialized when then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos was forced out of the 196 main event 12 days before his scheduled super fight with McGregor. Diaz stepped up on 11 days notice and handed “The Notorious” his first Octagon loss. McGregor avenged that defeat at UFC 202, defeating Diaz by unanimous decision in the rematch.

McGregor won the featherweight title by taking out former champion Jose Aldo by knockout at UFC 194 in December. He hasn’t fought in the weight class since.  In the meantime, Aldo defeated Frankie Edgar to become the interim 145-pound titleholder.

“At the end of the day, he’s a 145-pound fighter. He could go to (lightweight), but going back up to 170 makes absolutely no sense, and it clogs up the entire division, which isn’t fair to the rest of the crew,” said the UFC president.

McGregor’s days of taking fights 25 pounds above the weight class he holds the title in are over. His next outing will either be at lightweight or featherweight, and if it’s not at 145-pounds, he’ll have to relinquish the belt.

Category: Mixed Martial Arts