The UFC could be preparing for life with Conor McGregor around an awful lot less.
The promotion is in desperate need of a main event for UFC 216 in Las Vegas on October 7.
Headline fights involving the likes of Stipe Miocic, Cody Garbrandt and Joanna Jedrzejczyk have all been discussed but the clock is ticking and many of those involved are keen to wait a month so they can feature at UFC 217 in Madison Square Garden.
UFC president Dana White is not hanging around any more. White has announced that Tony Ferguson will fight for an interim title in the lightweight division that currently has Conor McGregor as champion.
Ferguson was hoping to face No.1 lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov but ‘The Eagle’ is reportedly not ready to return after his weight cut issues of earlier this year.
Instead, it will be 24-year-old lightweight Kevin Lee that will get a shot at the interim strap. Lee is ranked seventh in the lightweight division – behind the likes of Nate Diaz and former champion Eddie Alvarez – but he is on a five fight winning streak and did for Michael Cheika in his last outing.
Lee clashed with Ferguson back in June, when ‘El Cucuy’ was doing work on his fight for FOX Sports.
Announcing the fight, White told reporters:
“I’m ready for Conor to get back to MMA… I think [the interim fight] will be October 7 in Las Vegas. Khabib is not ready. He had surgery and he’s just not ready.”
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) August 16, 2017
White was not able to confirm if Ferguson vs. Lee would be the main event but making it for an interim title opens up that likelihood. It is possible that the other title fight on the card could by Cris Cyborg taking on Holly Holm for the women’s featherweight strap.
McGregor, of course, is currently on a hiatus from MMA as he prepares for his August 26 boxing contest with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
