McGregor will snub Masvidal’s BMF belt to fight for welterweight title and attempt to become first three-division champ
CONOR McGREGOR will chase the welterweight title and attempt to make UFC history by becoming the first fighter to be a three-division champion. The ex-featherweight and lightweight king, 31, makes his anticipated cage comeback on January 18 against American veteran Donald Cerrone, with the fight taking place at welterweight. Many thought the inspiration behind the […]
CONOR McGREGOR will chase the welterweight title and attempt to make UFC history by becoming the first fighter to be a three-division champion.
The ex-featherweight and lightweight king, 31, makes his anticipated cage comeback on January 18 against American veteran Donald Cerrone, with the fight taking place at welterweight.
Many thought the inspiration behind the jump from lightweight to welterweight was to set up a showdown with Jorge Masvidal, who won the ‘Baddest Mother F***er’ belt against Nate Diaz in November.
But McGregor was not happy the fight was stopped before round four due to a cut on Diaz’s eye, and urged the pair to finish what they started at UFC 244.
And The Notorious is also not bothered about Masvidal’s one-off belt, instead wanting to challenge welterweight champion Kamaru Usman – who just beat rival Colby Covington.
McGregor told the MacLife: “I’d face Jorge. But I’m not going to 170 just for Jorge.
“He hasn’t really got anything, I wasn’t really that happy with how that ‘Bad Mother F***er’ thing ended, I think it’s unfinished, in my opinion that bout is unfinished.
“I like that welterweight belt. I like that welterweight title fight, I like the look of Kamaru Usman, I like the look of Colby I’m open to it all at 170.
“Gold, I’d say silverware because that ‘Bad Mother F***er’ is a silver one – it’s not the best looking one, right?
“I don’t really care about that, to be honest, I want the gold, 155, 170, they are the belts I’m chasing now.”
McGregor revealed he is looking to compete in a “season” of fights this year, that starts with a main-event clash with Cerrone at UFC 246.
He has then been promised a second crack at Khabib Nurmagomedov and the Russian’s lightweight crown.
This angered No3 ranked lightweight contender Justin Gaethje, who feels as though he should be next in line for the belt, and kick-started a Twitter spat with McGregor.
And despite plans for a Nurmagomedov rematch, the Dublin southpaw revealed he will consider fighting Gaethje after Cerrone.
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He said: “He’s on the list, maybe I will face him next. He has it coming to him.
“He’s a funny guy, he’s been taking it to heart and I know the feeling when you do that. Maybe I’ll get through Donald and have a quick turnaround with Justin.
“But Justin is on the list, no doubt.”
