Conor McGregor was quick to make one thing crystal clear after being crowned UFC featherweight champion.
He will not be vacating his new title if and when he moves up to lightweight and is looking forward to hanging both belts over his shoulder simultaneously.
UFC vice-president of public relations Dave Sholler had earlier stated that McGregor had the choice of facing featherweight contender Frankie Edgar or else vacating his newly-won belt to challenge the winner of next weekend’s lightweight showdown between Rafael Dos Anjos and Donald Cerrone.
However, McGregor responded in fairly categoric fashion at his press conference, saying: “I’ll tell you one thing that won’t be happening. If I go up to that lightweight division, there is no way in hell that I’m vacating my belt. That’s not happening.
‘There’ll be a belt on one shoulder and a belt on the other shoulder. I understand why previously they would have fighters do that because many fighters don’t fight as frequently as I do.
“Tell me how many fights I have had in the past year. I’m busy, I stay active. I’m fresh.
“So when I go up for that lightweight belt, I will still be the featherweight champion also. I will be a dual weight champion, there is no going up and vacating. The belts will still be active because I am active.
“There’s no vacating, that’s not happening.”
Would you want to argue with him?
