Mark Henry had a wonderful plan.
Frankie Edgar and Eddie Alvarez, his fighters, would prove themselves to be number one contenders in their respective featherweight and lightweight divisions and earn title shots.
Following Alvarez’ impressive win over Anthony Pettis, both he and Edgar are number one contenders in their division.
The only thing standing in their way? Conor McGregor.
The Notorious will retain his featherweight strap while, at the same time, preparing to dethrone Rafael dos Anjos in the lightweight division.
Henry told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, “I’d like to see the title next for Eddie. He beat Gilbert Melendez, he beat the No.1.
“Your little buddy Conor is holding the whole thing up. I don’t know what the UFC’s plans are for Eddie anyway but we’d like Eddie to be 155lb [champion] and Frankie to be 145.”
Henry says he expected McGregor to defend his featherweight belt at least once before he was permitted to step up a division to challenge for more gold.
He expected the UFC to choose Edgar, who had stopped Chad Mendes, over a Jose Aldo rematch but was shocked when neither match-up was slated.
“We could really care less for Conor. It’s not about him, it’s about the belt… For me, if you want to go up and fight people you should be fighting [closer to your natural weight], just leave the dang belt.”
Henry expanded on McGregor vacating the belt.
“I don’t understand why he needs the belt. Obviously, is he setting himself up to lose already? Because if he needs to go up, I don’t understand why he has to hold onto that 145 belt so bad. That’s what we’re so upset about. Everybody’s drinking the shamrock shake.”
Not for the first time, Edgar’s coach claimed his man was skipped over for the interim title fight, between McGregor and Mendes, at UFC 189. He declared:
“Chad was doing a hunting show and was definitely not in shape… McGregor even said in an interview ‘If Frankie wins he deserves it and I’ll be fighting him next’.
“Well I guess he’s not a man of his word as that went out the window too.”
Henry bemoaned McGregor’s camp coming out with different reasons for his division jump and for mooting another move to 170lbs. The Dubliner, Henry remarked, changes his mind more than is wife.
Saving the best to last, Henry joked about how he has been inundated with ‘freckled friends’ after he openly criticised McGregor. “They don’t like me too much but it’s funny,” he said. “They’re passionate fans and it’s great.”
