UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor hasn’t stepped foot in the Octagon since November 2016, when he defeated Eddie Alvarez to win the title at UFC 205.
Dana White is the UFC President, who is trying to put together a bout between UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov, a bout that could be for the UFC Lightweight Title.
“If (McGregor) comes back in September, that’s almost two years (since his last MMA fight). That can’t happen. It’s not fair to everybody else,” White said on the UFC Fight Night St. Louis post-fight show. “Love Conor, respect Conor, love everything that he’s done for this company. Everybody knows that. I say it all the time. (But) the belt would have to move on. You do Khabib vs. Tony; we’re working on that fight now. If and when Conor comes back, he would get the first crack at the title.”
If McGregor is stripped of the title, UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Tony Ferguson would become the undisputed UFC Lightweight Champion.
White is like a lot of other UFC fans in that he would like to see McGregor actually defend the title.
“I want Conor to start training again and come back and defend his title. … We haven’t committed to a time yet, but as long as Conor wants to fight still, Conor and I always get it done,” White said. “You know how Conor is. Conor wants to do things on his time and when he wants to do it. That’s fine. I always say I respect the kid so much for what he accomplished and what he’s brought, but if he’s not ready to go – the belt, I think he wants to come back in September. That’ll be almost two years, and that’s just not fair to the rest of the guys in the division. Let these guys fights, and when Conor decides to come back, and if he decides to come back, then he would get the first crack at the title.”
MMA Junkie is reporting that a potential Ferguson versus Nurmagomedov bout could happen at UFC 222 on March 3 or UFC 223 on April 7.
