Tuesday 13 December 2016 07:38, UK
A year to the day since Conor McGregor won his first UFC championship, the belt has been divided in half and split between two of his former victims. Sky Sports examine what’s happened…
McGregor needed just 13 seconds of competition, on the back of a year's worth of verbal torture, to rip the featherweight title from Jose Aldo on December 12, 2015. It was the culmination of a remarkable ascent having debuted in 2013, an unbeaten run that included a win over Max Holloway in which McGregor persevered despite a serious knee injury.
Exactly a year on from McGregor first wrapping UFC gold around his waist, that same belt now adorns the midriffs of Aldo and Holloway, neither of whom can avoid the haunting ghost of the absent Irishman.
Already with his well-earned featherweight prize in tow, McGregor's most recent accomplishment was to become the UFC's first simultaneous title holder by blitzing lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. As he hoisted two glistening belts above his head a month ago, McGregor may well have raised a fist of defiance against the established order that preceded him.
His Las Vegas-based employers, a company that has recently swapped hands for $4 billion (half of which, McGregor claimed, was his sole value) wasted no time in asserting their authority. A low-key announcement was issued that McGregor had "relinquished" his featherweight title (a prize that he never defended, it is worth noting) in advance of his expected hiatus as he becomes a first-time father. This brings us to UFC 206, the latest evening of punch-ups, last weekend.
Aldo, already labelled the 'interim' champion on account of winning once since McGregor bludgeoned him a year ago, was automatically upgraded to his previous status as full champion. Holloway, the winner of 10 fights in a row since losing to McGregor, defeated Anthony Pettis last Saturday to win the 'interim' belt left behind by Aldo. Understood?
The confusing situation is made worse by McGregor's retention of the literal belt, which presumably resides on his mantelpiece alongside his history-making second UFC title. Aldo and Holloway, each handed a version of their own featherweight titles, remain world-class competitors but their latest achievements are likely to be remembered as nothing more than McGregor's next comedy routine.
Neither deserve the ridicule that he is expected to pour on them. Aldo was the sole holder of the featherweight world title before losing to McGregor, and owner of a decade-long unbeaten run. His recent win over Frankie Edgar, a credible result, is noted mainly for the ominous ringside presence of McGregor who stood bolt upright throughout, eyeing potential foes.
Holloway, for his part, was arguably the main victim of McGregor's year-long jaunt outside of the division that he ruled. The outstanding candidate to challenge for a title, Holloway found the champion running amok elsewhere.
Perhaps the Irishman's greatest achievement, even usurping his brilliance inside the cage, is transcending his own image into fights that do not obviously involve him. Aldo and Holloway can't escape him - nor can contenders in the welterweight division, where McGregor twice masqueraded against Nate Diaz this year.
He has officially been down-graded to merely the UFC lightweight champion, yet the featherweight division that he left behind is still cowering under his shadow.
