UFC PRESIDENT DANA White has given Conor McGregor the green light to do something that’s never been done before.
After he defeated Jose Aldo to win the UFC featherweight title at UFC 194 last month, McGregor expressed his desire to move up to the 155lbs division and challenge the reigning champion — Rafael dos Anjos — for that belt too.
No fighter has ever held two UFC belts at the same time — BJ Penn tried but failed to add the welterweight strap to his lightweight title in 2006 — but it looks like McGregor will have the chance to do so.
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Initially, it seemed that the UFC might be reluctant to allow McGregor to challenge for the lightweight title without vacating the featherweight strap. And in the UFC 194 post-event press conference, the Dubliner made it clear that he wouldn’t be willing to comply.
“I’ll tell you one thing that won’t be happening — if I go to that lightweight division, there’s no way in hell that I’m vacating my belt. That’s not happening. There’ll be a belt on one shoulder and a belt on the other shoulder,” said McGregor in Las Vegas on 12 December.
Prior to signing with the UFC, McGregor became the featherweight and lightweight champion for Cage Warriors Fighting Championship, one of Europe’s leading organisations, in 2012.
Speaking last night on UFC Tonight on FOX Sports 1, Dana White said: “Conor has said that he would like to win the 155lbs belt, fight four times a year and defend both belts. If anybody can do it, Conor McGregor can. This guy has pretty much done everything he said he would do, so I’m interested.”
UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
White added: “That is true that normally I would say that if you’re going to move up in weight, you have to give up the belt. But Conor has done everything he said he would do. He wants to fight — he really likes money — so if anybody can do it, it’s probably him.”
An announcement on McGregor’s next outing is imminent. The UFC has a pay-per-view event scheduled for 5 March but no fights have yet been announced, so there’s a strong possibility that a clash with Rafael dos Anjos will be fixed for the main event at UFC 197 in just over eight weeks’ time.
McGregor's shot at dos Anjos moves closer as White opens door for lightweight title bout
UFC PRESIDENT DANA White has given Conor McGregor the green light to do something that’s never been done before.
After he defeated Jose Aldo to win the UFC featherweight title at UFC 194 last month, McGregor expressed his desire to move up to the 155lbs division and challenge the reigning champion — Rafael dos Anjos — for that belt too.
No fighter has ever held two UFC belts at the same time — BJ Penn tried but failed to add the welterweight strap to his lightweight title in 2006 — but it looks like McGregor will have the chance to do so.
Initially, it seemed that the UFC might be reluctant to allow McGregor to challenge for the lightweight title without vacating the featherweight strap. And in the UFC 194 post-event press conference, the Dubliner made it clear that he wouldn’t be willing to comply.
“I’ll tell you one thing that won’t be happening — if I go to that lightweight division, there’s no way in hell that I’m vacating my belt. That’s not happening. There’ll be a belt on one shoulder and a belt on the other shoulder,” said McGregor in Las Vegas on 12 December.
Prior to signing with the UFC, McGregor became the featherweight and lightweight champion for Cage Warriors Fighting Championship, one of Europe’s leading organisations, in 2012.
Speaking last night on UFC Tonight on FOX Sports 1, Dana White said: “Conor has said that he would like to win the 155lbs belt, fight four times a year and defend both belts. If anybody can do it, Conor McGregor can. This guy has pretty much done everything he said he would do, so I’m interested.”
White added: “That is true that normally I would say that if you’re going to move up in weight, you have to give up the belt. But Conor has done everything he said he would do. He wants to fight — he really likes money — so if anybody can do it, it’s probably him.”
An announcement on McGregor’s next outing is imminent. The UFC has a pay-per-view event scheduled for 5 March but no fights have yet been announced, so there’s a strong possibility that a clash with Rafael dos Anjos will be fixed for the main event at UFC 197 in just over eight weeks’ time.
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Conor McGregor History mixed martial arts MMA Rafael Dos Anjos UFC Ultimate Fighting Championship