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29th Dec 2017

Dana White’s comments on Conor McGregor’s title defence record are genuinely baffling

Ok, ok.... wait, what?!?!

Ben Kiely

Dana White is just insulting everyone’s intelligence with his latest comments on Conor McGregor.

Contrary to what Dana White suggests, you don’t have to be a Conor McGregor hater to acknowledge the truth.

McGregor has done wonderful things in the sport of MMA. After becoming a two-weight champion on the European circuit, he took America by storm.

He knocked off contender after contender after contender en route to his UFC featherweight title shot. Once he got there, he shocked the world by knocking out the greatest 145 lber ever in just 13 seconds. After back-to-back PPV smash hits against Nate Diaz, he made arguably the greatest lightweight ever, Eddie Alvarez, look like a novice to become the first fighter to hold two UFC belts simultaneously.

‘The Notorious’ is the biggest superstar in MMA history. He played a huge role in the sport reaching more of a mainstream audience and his performances inside the Octagon have been stunning. The fact that he has never defended a title doesn’t take away from what he has achieved, but the fact remains, he has never defended a belt.

UFC president Dana White told ESPN that acknowledging this undeniable truth is a telltale sign of a hater.

“For people to suggest that, you’re just a Conor hater because if you look at how everything played out, Conor has fought everybody. When he won the 155-pound belt, he dropped the 145-pound belt, which we made him do. He tried not to do it, but he contractually had to let go of the 145-pound belt.

“He became the 155-pound champion, and his next fight was against Floyd Mayweather. He has to defend the title now. So, how has he never defended the title?”

Conor McGregor

The answer to White’s question is really quite simple. After submitting Dave Hill to win the Cage Warriors featherweight champion, he immediately moved up to knock out Ivan Buchinger to win the 155 lb strap. The UFC then signed him and he vacated both championships.

After beating Jose Aldo to win UFC 145lb gold, he moved up again and was eventually stripped of the title because he didn’t defend it. He is yet to defend that belt too. Yet, according to White, saying this is an exaggeration.

“There’s some fucking exaggeration in saying the guy’s never defended a title. He fought everybody on his way up 145 pounds. He fought (Chad) Mendes, (Dustin) Poirier. He beat Max Holloway, the only guy to beat Max Holloway in four years.”

“It wasn’t Conor’s fault (Rafael dos Anjos) got hurt. It is Conor’s fault he did Mayweather, but we decided to do the Mayweather fight and everybody gave a fuck. And after the fight, every fighter in the UFC gave him props for representing the sport.”

Right… but none of that supports his point at all. McGregor has never defended a belt.

Simple as.