The Official Conor McGregor Thread

[Jasen777]

Conor won't fight until May at the earliest. I'd take his FW belt. Can't be taking any time off if you're defending 2 belts and there's a back log already.

Aldo v. Holloway for the FW belt.

Khabib v. Ferguson as LW title eliminator and Conor's mandatory defense.

[Jasen777]

There's a reason Khabib refused to fight Tony in a 5 rder.

Was that coming off his 2 year lay-off? Because avoiding a top guy altogether and getting a tune up fight makes all the sense there.

[REDDzone]

There's a reason Khabib refused to fight Tony in a 5 rder.

Was that coming off his 2 year lay-off? Because avoiding a top guy altogether and getting a tune up fight makes all the sense there.

Yes it was.

[High 5]

How did Khabib duck Tony ~6 months ago? They were scheduled to fight 5 rounds until Tony pulled out, right?

[REDDzone]

How did Khabib duck Tony ~6 months ago? They were scheduled to fight 5 rounds until Tony pulled out, right?

I may be confusing the timing because those two have been scheduled to fight multiple times IIRC but originally the ufc wanted them to fight 5 rounds and Khabib refused and would only accept a 3 rder. Maybe it was the second to last time they were scheduled to fight each other which would have been more than six months ago? IDK.

[High 5]

How did Khabib duck Tony ~6 months ago? They were scheduled to fight 5 rounds until Tony pulled out, right?

I may be confusing the timing because those two have been scheduled to fight multiple times IIRC but originally the ufc wanted them to fight 5 rounds and Khabib refused and would only accept a 3 rder. Maybe it was the second to last time they were scheduled to fight each other which would have been more than six months ago? IDK.

I think they've only been scheduled to fight twice. Last December and then April. The first time Khabib only wanted 3 rounds because of his injury issues, but he still agreed to fight him. It seems like a stretch to call that ducking. The second time they agreed to 5 rounds and it was Tony who pulled out.

If Conor is committed to being out for at least 6 months then the two of them should absolutely fight.

[High 5]

Conor won't fight until May at the earliest. I'd take his FW belt. Can't be taking any time off if you're defending 2 belts and there's a back log already.

Aldo v. Holloway for the FW belt.

Khabib v. Ferguson as LW title eliminator and Conor's mandatory defense.

I agree with him losing his FW belt for sure. At least a year and a half without a defense is absurd.

[REDDzone]

I think they've only been scheduled to fight twice. Last December and then April. The first time Khabib only wanted 3 rounds because of his injury issues, but he still agreed to fight him. It seems like a stretch to call that ducking. The second time they agreed to 5 rounds and it was Tony who pulled out.

If Conor is committed to being out for at least 6 months then the two of them should absolutely fight.

Khabib was "chicken" to fight Tony for 5 rounds. Is that better?

[REDDzone]

^^ I don't even believe that btw. I'm trying to prove a point.

1) Just because you don't want to fight someone, doesn't mean you are "scared" of them. Especially when you are a two division champion and are fighting guys like Jose Aldo on the regular.

2) Its stupid to call someone out as "ducking" someone else 9 seconds after their last fight. Especially when that fighter has fought 3 times in 8 months and has a baby coming in the next 3-4 months.

[phanman]

McGregor will always be "ducking" someone in the eyes of the hater. I mean the guy fights whoever stands in the ways of his goals. He ran through the FW division taking out the king, and immediately changed gears to take out the LW champ in RDA.... then Diaz x2, then Alvarez.

In regards to the LW division despite the Khabib's flawless record, there #1 contender spot still isn't clear between him and Ferg. I mean Tony just took out the former champ in his recent fight and so did Khabib but that was 2 years ago and his last two fights were against unranked Horcher and #6 Johnson. Honestly Conor's situation couldn't have more perfect timing for the LW division to have a #1 contenders match between the two to determine whom he'll defend his strap against in Spring/Summer - depending on if he ever goes back down to FW.

The FW division is in all sorts of chaos though, Pettis and Holloway are duking it @ 206 and I suspect the UFC will try to make the winner face Aldo for the interim belt for a unification bout if Conor so pleases. Frankie will probably get the loser or fight Lamas? IMO Frankie could probably get a faster track to a 2nd belt by dropping down to BW and facing TJ/Lineker who currently don't a fight scheduled.

[REDDzone]

TJ/Lineker both have a fight scheduled...its against each other. lol.

[CPT]

McGregor will always be "ducking" someone in the eyes of the hater. I mean the guy fights whoever stands in the ways of his goals. He ran through the FW division taking out the king, and immediately changed gears to take out the LW champ in RDA.... then Diaz x2, then Alvarez.

In regards to the LW division despite the Khabib's flawless record, there #1 contender spot still isn't clear between him and Ferg. I mean Tony just took out the former champ in his recent fight and so did Khabib but that was 2 years ago and his last two fights were against unranked Horcher and #6 Johnson. Honestly Conor's situation couldn't have more perfect timing for the LW division to have a #1 contenders match between the two to determine whom he'll defend his strap against in Spring/Summer - depending on if he ever goes back down to FW.

The FW division is in all sorts of chaos though, Pettis and Holloway are duking it @ 206 and I suspect the UFC will try to make the winner face Aldo for the interim belt for a unification bout if Conor so pleases. Frankie will probably get the loser or fight Lamas? IMO Frankie could probably get a faster track to a 2nd belt by dropping down to BW and facing TJ/Lineker who currently don't a fight scheduled.

You're really bending over backwards to justify Conor not fighting the top contenders in either division he's champion of.

"The FW division is in all sorts of chaos" lol. I wonder why. That tends to happen when the champ has 3 fights and counting in another division, never having defended the belt.

[phanman]

TJ/Lineker both have a fight scheduled...its against each other. lol.

Ahh so he does I thought it was just rumored and not announced yet.

You're really bending over backwards to justify Conor not fighting the top contenders in either division he's champion of.

"The FW division is in all sorts of chaos" lol. I wonder why. That tends to happen when the champ has 3 fights and counting in another division, never having defended the belt.

Well seeing as how he has just won the LW belt, that division doesn't even count right now. Then again he did sign on to fight THE CHAMP 2x in RDA and Alvarez so I think they would qualify as the "top contender." In the FW division he fought the best fighters available on his way to dispatching Aldo. Max, Brandao, Poirier were all top 10 fighters, and Mendes was the #1 contender.

In regards to the 3 fights he took outside the FW division the only questionable one was the Diaz rematch. Which had its own personal reasons for happening, but was originally schedule in the same card as Aldo/Frankie. The first Diaz fight was supposed to be for the LW title (which Aldo turned down) and 205 was.

In an ideal world he would've fought Aldo @MSG for the FW unification bout with Khabib/Alvarez for the LW belt, but as you know it just didn't play out that way. With the way they were marketing the 205 card everyone knew and expected that he was going to choose a 2nd belt over a title defense. If he doesn't do a FW defense in his return fight then yeah at that point you have to strip him, but idk why people always bring up the narrative of him not fighting the top contenders - was Alvarez not the wrestler/brawler with a full camp(unlike Mendes) that was finally going to give him trouble?

[NZB2323]

Well seeing as how he has just won the LW belt, that division doesn't even count right now.

Yes it does. It's the champion's job to defend the belt. The only point people are making is that a champion should have title defenses. Crazy notion, right?

The FW division is in all sorts of chaos though, Pettis and Holloway are duking it @ 206 and I suspect the UFC will try to make the winner face Aldo for the interim belt for a unification bout if Conor so pleases.

So after winning the FW belt and having 3 fights outside of the division, he still doesn't have to defend his belt? He has to wait for 2 fights to happen, and then, if he feels like it, he can fight the winner if he so chooses? If Conor's next fight isn't a FW title defense, he should be stripped of that belt. If you want to keep a belt you have to defend it.

[phanman]

Well seeing as how he has just won the LW belt, that division doesn't even count right now.

Yes it does. It's the champion's job to defend the belt. The only point people are making is that a champion should have title defenses. Crazy notion, right?

The FW division is in all sorts of chaos though, Pettis and Holloway are duking it @ 206 and I suspect the UFC will try to make the winner face Aldo for the interim belt for a unification bout if Conor so pleases.

So after winning the FW belt and having 3 fights outside of the division, he still doesn't have to defend his belt? He has to wait for 2 fights to happen, and then, if he feels like it, he can fight the winner if he so chooses? If Conor's next fight isn't a FW title defense, he should be stripped of that belt. If you want to keep a belt you have to defend it.

Which is exactly what I said in my post - his next fight has to be a FW defense. He doesn't have to wait for anything but he himself stated that he is taking a break so that's why I listed the FW division fights to occur.Aldo has clearly earned the right for a rematch with his win over Edgar, but at the same time its going to be hard to deny Holloway if he gets past Pettis with his 10 fight win streak.

I stated the LW division doesn't count right now in the sense that he just won the belt, so therefore he isn't ducking or avoiding anyone from that division. His break will keep him inactive until late Spring and if he plans to keep the FW belt than a LW defense wont occur until Summer so essentially its a perfect time to reschedule Khabib and Ferg for a #1 contenders match as both are more than deserving of a title shot.

[RalphWiggum]

McGregor has apparently vacated the featherweight title which is no surprise. It was obviously a brutal weight cut and one I thought he wouldn't make again after fighting at 155 and 170.

[lilfishi22]

I don't think he vacated. More like he was stripped but the language is a bit nicer for both sides, "relinquished"

[Headliner]

If Pettis wins, he might want that fight lol.
First ever Two time two division Champ!!!

[duppyy]

I don't think he vacated. More like he was stripped but the language is a bit nicer for both sides, "relinquished"

Well it should've really been done sooner. It was clear he didn't want to fight at that weight anymore. UFC prolly wanted to ride the "2 division champ" for a lot longer but UFC 206 turning into a dud just expedited that decision.

[REDDzone]

Has Conor spoken about this? I imagine this takes the Woodley fight off the table (watch it be announced later today)? If he was going after the WW crown, no way he foregoes the opportunity for "three division champ" by giving away is title willingly.