Coach Details Conor McGregor Preparing to Fight Frankie Edgar at UFC 222

Most of the things Conor McGregor gets into aren’t straight forward. There are layers, plot twists, double meanings. Everyone scoffed at his comment that he was going to step up to fight Frankie Edgar, but after UFC 222 Dana White admitted it was true. One thing he didn’t comment on though, was the rumored addition of a 165-pound title. As striking coach Owen Roddy broke down the prep leading up to this actually happening, he also revealed a new kernel of information regarding the “super lightweight” title.

“I got the call from Conor [McGregor] almost a little under a month out, just kind of out of the blue, ‘Oh yeah, look, [Max] Holloway’s out of the fight, they’re looking for a replacement to fight Frankie so I’m up for it, I’m thinking of doing it’. So I was like, ‘well, alright, let’s see what the craic is,’ and we went in and he sparred. He hadn’t sparred too hard in a while, so like went in and had a good, tough spar with one of the guys similar to Frankie’s size, similar style and stuff like that, and then looked amazing. […] He got back the next day saying that the fight’s gone, that the fight was unavailable now. So yeah. But he was up for it and he was ready to go. And you know, he was putting it in as well. Conor’s been training up here, so he’s got the bug again which is great, but unfortunately that one didn’t come to pass.”

Frankie’s career deserved for that to be against me tonight.
Respect Frankie.
Love and respect always!
A true fighters fighter ❤

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 4, 2018

“It would had to have been a catch weight somewhere. You know, featherweight that close, it wouldn’t have really happened. So it would have had to have been maybe lightweight or somewhere thereabouts. There was talks about [165] as well. Yeah definitely, there was talks about maybe doing the fight for a new belt and stuff like that. Conor just said [the UFC is] bringing in a new belt, they’re hoping to bring in a new belt, so we might push for that. I don’t know whether they said it to him or he was just saying about, but that was in the air as well. […] I think that would have been good as well. You know, no big long build up to a fight, just straight in, straight back into the cage, the fight would have been on top of us. But obviously, unfortunately it didn’t come to pass. But who knows what’s down the road.” — Coach Owen Roddy speaking to Submission Radio.

As with everything, the truth is somewhere in the middle. We may not know who brought up the idea of a 165-pound title first, but down the road it may be revealed. It certainly makes sense as a way to keep Conor McGregor enticed to come back. There are not many fights or achievements left that are interesting. As Diego Sanchez and Chael Sonnen has brought up, we could see McGregor fight Georges St-Pierre at 165-pounds and shatter records.

3/15/2018.