‘Just one from me Dana…. ‘
The UFC president was almost through an entire post-fight press conference at a major pay-per-view event without getting a Conor McGregor question when it arrived at the very end.
White had spent the guts of 30 minutes talking about an engaging UFC 226 and the possibilities at hand for the victorious fighters on the night, when the McGregor query arrived.
‘The Notorious’ has not fought since he won the UFC lightweight belt, back in November 2016, to become the promotion’s first ever reigning double champion in two weight classes. With Daniel Cormier matching that record, following his KO of Stipe Miocic at UFC 226, perhaps the McGregor question was fitting.
White was asked if any significant progress has been made on a proposed fight between McGregor and reigning lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Touching on McGregor’s scheduled return to the Brooklyn Criminal Court later this month – stemming from his actions at the Barclays Center loading bay back in April – White replied:
“You know what? I’m not even thinking about Conor until… I’m serious.
“I know they [McGregor’s camp] say there are talks but we’re not talking about a fight right now. Conor has to get through July; he has to get through July.
“Whatever is going to happen to him in July, we’ll figure that out. I don’t know what’s going to happen – is he going to get fined, be on probation, is he going to get this, that – when that is over with, then we will start talking about him fighting.”
With that, the UFC president exited the dais and made way for his fighters to field questions.
McGregor is due back in court on July 26 and he may be able to plan for a UFC return if his legal team negotiate favourable plea bargain terms.
Should he avoid jail time or probationary sanctions, a fight with Nurmagomedov before the end of 2018 looks the most likely course of action.
