On Saturday, UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor did an interview in front of a live audience, which was made available via online pay-per-view.
The interview was conducted by MMA journalist Ariel Helwani. During the interview, McGregor talked about being stripped of his UFC featherweight title back in November.
“Before I even got the belt, they wanted to strip me,” McGregor said. “That’s what I’m saying—Just let me go and get the thing first. Let me go make the history. Let me go do what has never been done before. And there seemed to be a problem with that for whatever reason. I don’t know what the problem was, but again a lack of communication—All they had to do was ask.”
In November, at UFC 205, McGregor defeated Eddie Alvarez to win the UFC lightweight title. On that night, McGregor became the first fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold two different UFC titles. Shortly after winning the lightweight title, the UFC stripped McGregor of his featherweight championship. The UFC awarded the featherweight title to then interim champion Jose Aldo and created an interim title that Max Holloway ended up winning.
“Instead, they created an interim belt. They gave back the unified belt to a guy I KO’d. A guy I dominated now has the interim title. I was almost a little embarrassed by how it played out.”
The UFC is now creating an interim lightweight title, while McGregor is taking a break from the sport due to his girlfriend being pregnant.
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will fight for the interim belt at UFC 209 on March 4. McGregor shared his opinion on the UFC creating another interim title.
“Not even a whisper about that one (the interim lightweight belt). But again, like I said, business is business. You have got to create. The two guys fighting for that interim belt are bums. I always look at the game, the fight game, the UFC and say…Sometimes I wonder to myself why it has never broken through to that next level. It’s because they’re all dog [Expletive].
“It’s the same with these two clowns, two bums fighting for an interim belt. They should very very happy that I’m chilling out, taking a break. And they have this little chance for this, but in reality, they are nowhere close.”
During the interview, McGregor said he is focused on boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather being his next opponent. So at this time, it is unknown when McGregor will return to the UFC and potentially defend his 155-pound title.
McGregor’s interview can be viewed here via online pay-per-view. The interview took place in front of a live audience at the EventCity exhibition center in Manchester, England.
