Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion Conor McGregor may soon find himself without a championship title if he chooses to prolong his absence from the league.
President Dana White recently decided to take matters into his own hands and remind everyone, including McGregor, that he is still the Boss of the promotion. Speaking to UFC on FOX, he expressed his concern that the other fighters are not getting the opportunity they deserve because of the delay the Irishman is causing.
"Conor is saying he's thinking about coming back in September and that's almost two years — that can't happen," he said. "It's just not fair to everyone else," he said. "I love Conor, respect Conor, and love everything he has done for this company [but] the belt would have to move on, absolutely."
Conor has not been in the Octagon since defeating Eddie Alvarez in 2016. He made a one-time boxing appearance against Floyd Mayweather which became one of the most anticipated bouts of 2017 despite criticism from many experts.
This caused a hold-up in the UFC's lightweight division, depriving many fighters a shot at becoming the legitimate champion despite good performances. Names like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Edson Barbosa, Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier were trying to make it to the top but the division couldn't properly get a move on because there was no champion to dethrone.
The lightweight division's interim champion, Tony "El Cucuy" Ferguson, was also unable to defend his belt due to having an injury and eventually undergoing surgery in December of last year.
White, however, decided that if McGregor still doesn't follow the deadline he has set, the title will be declared vacant and he has already decided the two fighters who will face each other for the belt.
"You do Khabib versus Tony," White said. "We're working on that fight now. If and when Conor comes back, he will get the first crack at the title."
