Monday 28 November 2016 12:50, UK
Conor McGregor spent just a fortnight as the reigning two-weight UFC champion before his original belt was “relinquished”. Sky Sports ponders if there’s more to this than meets the eye…
Trouble has been brewing throughout 2016, it seems. The cult of McGregor has exponentially grown and his personal brand has threatened to eclipse the three mighty letters of the UFC, as evidenced by the burgeoning opportunities that are presenting themselves to him away from the cage.
The latest punch in what amounts to an ongoing power struggle has been landed by the organisation to their main star - McGregor's featherweight championship, the first of his record-breaking two titles, has been removed from his waist.
"Relinquished" was the party-line of an intentionally under-the-radar announcement, but McGregor has yet to vocalise his opinion on whether he gave up the belt or it was taken away. The Irishman has always insisted that he wouldn't vacate but it might be that his increasing number of sky-high claims have forced the UFC's hand.
After becoming the first fighter to win a second, simultaneous title earlier this month, McGregor signalled a remarkable intention to own major shares in the company. Not content with dominating inside the cage, he now wanted a seat at the boardroom table, and believed his dual-championship status and unrivalled popularity afforded him that right.
Two weeks later, the organisation that recently changed hands for $4 billion has demoted McGregor back to a world champion in just one weight class. The featherweight title is no longer his and has been wrapped around the waist of Jose Aldo - the ex-champion who McGregor beat inside 13 seconds last year, and who doesn't even have an upcoming fight in the diary.
But perhaps there's another side to the argument. The short-lived photo opportunities of McGregor holding an unprecedented two belts aloft will not go down well with his vociferous supporters, but perhaps the UFC should be commended for refusing to give him the preferential treatment that he demands.
Since beating Aldo for featherweight gold last December, McGregor has had four fights scheduled (one, against Rafael dos Anjos, fell through), all of which were in different weight classes. The Irishman, since becoming a world champion, has shown little desire to defend his belt as tradition dictates. Chasing history, and eventually claiming it by adding the lightweight belt, might be the sport's most remarkable achievement but the fact remains that the featherweight division lays dormant with its champion strutting around elsewhere.
The confusion surrounding the 145lbs ranks (Aldo has been promoted from interim champion to undisputed, Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis will contest the new interim title) has added to the despair at seeing McGregor stripped. Should Holloway beat Pettis, a situation emerges whereby McGregor will own wins over featherweight's two recognised champions.
The Irishman's decision to step away from competition for a well-earned break (he is set to become a father) is another factor at hand. There hasn't been a scheduled featherweight title fight since McGregor beat Aldo 11 months ago, so the belt would have been a memory by the time he returned.
It is the latest chapter in a fascinating behind-the-scenes duel between the UFC and McGregor, the type of cross-over personality they yearned for but now find themselves having to harness.
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