Conor McGregor’s rough week got even rougher Saturday night. Just days after spending part of Thursday in jail following an incident at the UFC 223 media day, the Irish striker was stripped of his UFC lightweight title.UFC President Dana White announced the news at the UFC 223 post-fight press conference, flatly stating that Khabib Nurmagomedov is now the undisputed lightweight champion (warning: video contains NSFW language):
McGregor stunned the MMA world Thursday when he arrived in New York with an entourage, went to a scheduled UFC 223 press event and proceeded to throw a hand truck through the window of a bus carrying a number of fighters set to compete.
Two were left injured from broken glass (Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg), and McGregor now faces charges of “felony criminal mischief and misdemeanor counts of assault, attempted assault, menacing and reckless endangerment,” per the New York Post.
Officially, the move doesn’t have anything to do with Thursday’s fracas.
White suggested last month that McGregor’s reign as lightweight champion was set to end following UFC 223 due to inactivity.
While that was a disingenuous stance—McGregor is currently embroiled in a contract dispute with the promotion and faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a boxing match that the UFC had a hand in promoting in August—there is no question his continued absence from the cage stalls the lightweight division at a time when it is overflowing with contenders.
(Warning: the following video contains language NSFW)
Still, if there was any hope McGregor would retain his title, it likely ended the second he was cuffed.
What does the future hold for McGregor? According to White, the UFC was targeting a September return for the now-former champion, but with McGregor’s legal status up in the air, he is now uncertain.
McGregor is scheduled to return to court in New York on June 14. Don’t expect any details on his return to the Octagon until then.
source: bleacherreport.com by Steven Rondina
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