White: 'McGregor may never return to 145'

[Wild]

UFC president Dana White said Friday night at the EA Sports UFC 2 launch party that there is a possibility that McGregor will never return to 145 pounds if he beats Nate Diazin spectacular fashion at UFC 196 on Saturday night here.

"I think if he wins impressively [Saturday], he doesn't even go back to 45," White said at Mandalay Bay's Light nightclub. "That's what I think. That weight cut is horrible for him. He looks terrible. I'm sure he feels terrible. I think he stays at 170 if he wins tomorrow."

At open workouts on Wednesday, McGregor said he could and would go back to featherweight, but he doesn't seem to be in love with the options that are there right now, including the likes of Frankie Edgar and Jose Aldo.

"I can go back to 145 no problem," McGregor said. "Who is there, though? Let me see some of these damn bums get up and fight and make some noise. I just hear crying, complaining, please, begging -- all this sh*t. I don't see nothing appealing. They need to build themselves up right now. I'm sitting pretty. I'm sitting up here. They need to fight and make some noise, make me stand up and sy, OK, I'll take him on. That's what I need to see, because right now I see a bunch of complainers, whiners."

If "The Notorious" does decide to leave featherweight for good, there's that little matter of his belt. White said he would have to give it up, of course.

"That would be a non-issue if he doesn't go back and he understands that," White said. "Listen, when you're dealing with Conor McGregor, he's a smart guy. He gets business. He's not unreasonable about anything and he will fight anybody, anywhere at any time. How can anybody have a problem with that?

"When you're dealing with super talented people, they're always going to be quirky and different in their own ways. But no matter what you are, when you act and fight and step up for anything the way Conor does, you can't deny the kid."

"Conor is a unique individual, who is different than anybody we've seen in the business," White said. "That kid makes being a fan of fighting fun. It's fun. There's times when you have guys that are unreasonable and just make dumb choices and don't want to fight anybody or want to fight once or twice a year. Why would you have a problem with anything Conor does?"

LINK: Dana White thinks if Conor McGregor beats Nate Diaz impressively, he won't return to featherweight

 

[Kingtony87]

Frankies gonna have a breakdown

 

[Jehannum]

Frankies gonna have a breakdown

lol nothing else to take from this but another Edgar duck eh

 

[Kingtony87]

lol nothing else to take from this but another Edgar duck eh

Really, ko'ing aldo then moving up to face rda, Nate, and now possibly Robbie but yes he's ducking Edgar.

 

[Ghost Bro]

 

[Jehannum]

Really, ko'ing aldo then moving up to face rda, Nate, and now possibly Robbie but yes he's ducking Edgar.

lol I thought you were saying that

I personally love seeing Frankie bitch and moan but no doubt it would have gained Conor a lot more fans had he taken that challenge as his first defence before moving up, and now it sounds like he might never even defend at all.

should have just vacated as first planned

 

[member 3289]

Frankie's fans are gonna have a breakdown

I know

 

[Deleted member 1]

Does one really hold two belts at the same time of they can't fight at both classes?

Randy and BJ already did the two belt thing if we just want to talk linear holding.

Is Dana still going to sell this as Conor beinf the first to hold two belts are once??

 

[jason73]

conor vs rory .make it happen you bald faggot

 

[La Paix]

Does one really hold two belts at the same time of they can't fight at both classes?

Randy and BJ already did the two belt thing if we just want to talk linear holding.

Is Dana still going to sell this as Conor beinf the first to hold two belts are once??

This here. Another con developing....

 

[Jehannum]

conor vs rory .make it happen you bald faggot

Rory should call him out before his fight with Thompson so the "fans" can say the UFC ducked Rory on Conor's behalf

 

[Kingtony87]

I know

What you did there I see it

 

[TheAwkwardTitan]

We all saw this coming. The way Conor's been talking, Cavanaugh flat out said it and Dana's been hinting at it for a while now. They just want him to tie up the 45 belt long enough for him to win another one, so he'll hold two belts at once on paper... without ever defending the belt. On the flip side if he loses to RDA he still has the 145 belt, so he can potentially keep killing himself to make weight.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

"Featherweight Champion"

 

[mysticmac]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpopqahS7m0

 

[KWingJitsu]

Kinda silly because Frankie is the clear #1......

 

[Jehannum]

lol nothing else to take from this but another Edgar duck eh

dammit stop giving this post "WINNER" ratings .... it was a reply not a statement haha

 

[Jehannum]

@Alienator I see what you doin!

 

[Punch]

Dana:

Everyone else:

 

[Punch]

@Alienator I see what you doin!

 

[jason73]

What a waste of the featherweight division.the champ won't defend the belt .the contenders are left in limbo.basically fuck 10 other guys because Conor gives Dana a boner.this shit is why mma is never going to be a real sport while it is owned by zuffa llc

 

[Super Dave]

Win or lose to Nate give up the featherweight belt. There's no reason any champ should hold a belt when they move up before defending it.

 

[wiz]

Frankie needs to build himself up? He's been ready to fight for the title for over a year. Conor should have fought frankie before moving up.

Conor OWES the featherweight division at least a rematch with aldo and a fight with edgar. Shit he needs 3 more wins at 145 before thinking about vacating. If he never goes down again and vacates the title, then it's plain disrespectful to everyone down there at 145 who trains their asses off everyday to call themselves the best in their weight division. Edgar better trash talk the shit out of Conor to make sure his weight jumping ass comes back. Hope this is just Dana talking and not Conor being selfish.

 

[Ghost Bro]

That Conor- Zuffa feud has no end!!!

 

[Obi-Wan-In-A-Million]

Win or lose to Nate give up the featherweight belt. There's no reason any champ should hold a belt when they move up before defending it.

Especially if they're not planning on defending anytime soon, or possibly never. After he fights Nate, if he asks for any fight other a 145 lb title defense, he should vacate. Frankie rightly deserves a crack at the belt, and Aldo deserves a chance to reclaim it. Especially considering how he lost it.

These guys shouldn't be denied because of the "champ's" pipe dream. If he does hold the belt and fights RDA or Robbie, I don't think he should be considered a 2 division champ if he wins one of their belts then vacates FW without a defense. Technically, he wouldn't even have been in the division for two fights and if he doesn't go back, I don't think it should count. But I fully expect the UFC would call it legit and give him the record.