Conor McGregor bashes “dead” featherweight division

At UFC 194, Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo finally had their fight for the UFC featherweight championship. The fight lasted just 13 seconds, with McGregor putting the featherweight champion to sleep with a left hand in the first exchange of the fight.

Rather than defending his belt, McGregor went up for what was supposed to be a lightweight title fight against Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 196. Unfortunately, dos Anjos withdrew from the fight with a broken foot. Nate Diaz then stepped in on short notice to fight McGregor, handing him the first loss of his UFC career.

At UFC 200, Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar will fight for the interim UFC featherweight championship, with the winner facing McGregor for the undisputed featherweight championship.

In an interview with ESPN, McGregor revealed that the interim belt was his idea!

“It was my idea. I wanted to have my revenge at 170, and they’re crying and complaining about the 145-pound belt, which I just won three months ago. That division was killed, it was dead. Jose went down in 13 seconds. What more can I do? I traveled the world with that man. I finally got him in the Octagon, and he only lasts 13 seconds.

I didn’t see a challenge there anymore. So, I wanted to create interest from a fan’s perspective and my perspective. I want to see them two go at it, with an interim belt on the line. Then I will see people walking around my division with a belt and that will intrigue me. It will make me want that belt again.”