White: McGregor can choose title fight: 145 or 155
Dana White: Conor McGregor has two options
UFC president Dana White is the most powerful person in mixed martial arts. There is frequently speculation about what he intends to do, and one of the means he reliably uses to clarify issues is TMZ Sports.
The biggest question in MMA at present is what is next for Conor McGregor. On the one hand, he is the UFC featherweight champion. On the other, his first fight with lightweight Nate Diaz, at welterweight, was the biggest Pay Per View in league history. And the rematch was bigger. So a trilogy fight makes money and sense. The pair agreed to it, at 155, before they ever left the Octagon Saturday night.
McGregor is complex.
He struggled mightily to make 145, and last two fighters were at welterweight, so featherweight may be in his past.
That would leave 155 as the rational choice, with an immediate title shot at Frankie Edgar.
McGregor himself expressed strong reservations about a fight with Aldo, for reasons other than weight cutting.
“How long was I going back and forth with José?” asked McGregor. “That must have been a two-year build-up. He pulled out, last-minute. I continued to fight someone else, then we rescheduled a two-year, ‘round the world deal with that boy. And then he stepped in and I beat him in 13 seconds.”
“It’s hard for me to get excited about that, especially after his last performance. It was a decision. He didn’t go out and get it like I wanted him to get it. So, I don’t know.”
White himself expressed definitive preferences.
“The war was fun and super successful but I’m movin’ on,” said White to TMZ Sports.
Dana says Conor has two options — either fight Aldo or surrender his title to him — or cut weight to 155 and fight Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title.
Dana says under any scenario, he’s closing the books on McGregor vs. Diaz.
As for Diaz, he is very clear about his next step.
I’m not doing s*** until we go for round three,” he said. “You won’t be seeing me until then. If they want to set it up as soon as possible, let’s do it.”