Conor McGregor appears to have support from a UFC ally after he was slapped with an ultimatum by Khabib Nurmagomedov
FIGHT ISLAND — Conor McGregor appears to have support from a UFC ally after he was slapped with an ultimatum from Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The Irish striker is not used to being bossed around, but both Nurmagomedov and the UFC President Dana White have recently told him what to do if he is serious about earning a shot at the lightweight championship.
Nurmagomedov is the reigning titleholder in the 155-pound weight class and defends his belt Saturday against Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 254 at Abu Dhabi's Flash Forum.
McGregor had wanted to compete three times in 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic and disenchantment at options the UFC had presented to him led to an abrupt retirement earlier in the year.
The former two-weight UFC champion wanted to return to combat sports in a mixed martial arts exhibition involving Dustin Poirier in Dublin, but as they're both contracted to the UFC, a pro fight offer was extended to both instead.
McGregor said he'd accept but demanded the bout take place in November or December, which White refused and offered a take-it-or-leave it date of January 23.
The 32-year-old eventually accepted, before Nurmagomedov issued a fresh ultimatum this week saying if he was desperate for a lightweight title shot he'd have to fight Poirier at 155-pounds rather than the welterweight limit of 170-pounds.
At a media event Tuesday on Fight Island, Michael Chandler — a standby athlete who will fight for the title should Nurmagomedov or Gaethje test positive for COVID-19 — appeared to say he understands where McGregor is coming from.
"Weight-cutting is an interesting thing," Chandler said.
Michael Chandler, UFC lightweight and former Bellator MMA champion, is in the house.
— Alan Dawson on #UFCFightIsland ????️ (@AlanDawsonSport) October 20, 2020
Chandler is a prominent replacement #UFC254 fighter should anything happen to Justin Gaethje or Khabib Nurmagomedov ahead of Saturday's main event.#UFCFightIsland pic.twitter.com/LjTMG4t0Xn
The American, a former three-time Bellator MMA lightweight champion who is the biggest UFC recruit this year, said that McGregor's recent campaign at 170-pounds is "smoke and mirrors" because he's fighting lightweights in that division rather than legitimate welterweights like Jorge Masvidal.
"For me, I show up at the weight they want me to fight. If the UFC is not willing to let catch-weights happen and says if you fight at 170 you're not getting the title shot [at 155], then I'm fighting at 155," Chandler said.
McGregor may not secure the 155-pound title shot if he keeps fighting at 170
Chandler added that it perhaps depends what McGregor's future plans are.
Speaking as if the situation applied to him, he said he would happily accept a fight at 170-pounds against a 155-pound fighter as neither of them would have to endure the weight-cut, only to compete at a weight they'd weigh on fight night anyway.
However, that would change if there was a potential titleshot on the line, as there may be during McGregor and Poirier's fight early next year.
"The way I look at it, if I'm fighting Tony Ferguson and we're both 155-pounders and this is the fourth time I've made weight in 12 months, why don't we fight at 170 and not cut that water weight — I'm still fighting a lightweight at 170.
"Let's be honest, Conor's never fought a welterweight but has put on a facade fighting at welterweight. He's never fought a welterweight at welterweight.
"A lot of stuff he does is genius, marketing … smoke and mirrors [by fighting] 155-pounders at 170. He essentially just didn't cut weight for a 155 fight.
""My body says I'd love to fight a lightweight at 170 but if there are title implications on the line you best believe I'm coming in at 154 just to secure that title shot."
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