UFC President Dana White claims that the promotions lightweight title will not be vacated, this while confirming McGregor vs. Poirier 2.
Following tonight’s UFC Vegas 12 event, the UFC boss spoke with ESPN‘s Brett Okamoto where he revealed the following information regarding the promotions lightweight division.
Believing Khabib will come back for one more fight, Dana White tells @bokamotoESPN that the lightweight belt will not be vacated. pic.twitter.com/VavLbIQUyT
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 1, 2020
“So (Khabib) was super emotional after that fight (with Justin Gaethje) and you know he got the measles the mumps, whatever he got. Then he broke his toe leading into that fight. Took the fight, and with the passing of his father I just think he was super emotional and was just in the moment that night. I am not saying that he is going to 100% come out for 30-0, but I get the feeling that he will.”
Nurmagomedov (29-0 MMA) of course announced his retirement from the sport immediately following his submission win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
Dana White was then asked if Khabib Nurmagomedov was still the UFC’s 155lbs champion.
“Yea he is the lightweight champion right now. There is no vacant belt. There is no interim title. No vacant title. None of that.”
The UFC President was then asked if the deal was done for former lightweight champion Conor McGregor to rematch Dustin Poirier at 155lbs.
“I believe it is. I believe the deal is done, yeah.”
Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier first collided in the featherweight division at UFC 178, with the Irishman emerging victorious by way of first round knockout.
McGregor has not competed since January’s UFC 246 event, where he needed less than a minute to dispose of fellow legend Donald Cerrone.
As for Dustin Poirier, ‘The Diamond‘ bounced back from his submission loss to Khabib earlier this summer when he defeated Dan Hooker by way of unanimous decision.
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This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on October 31, 2020