VIDEO | Dana White explains Conor McGregor vacating featherweight title

(Video has been taken down from YouTube channel)

Many people were shocked when the UFC announced that Conor McGregor “relinquished” the UFC featherweight championship title recently. Many even speculated that the UFC simply stripped “The Notorious” of the 145-pound title with the Irish superstar being quite mum on the matter when it was first announced.

UFC President recently spoke with Jay and Dan on FOX Sports Live to talk about the situation and reminded everyone what he had said prior to UFC 205 taking place where McGregor became the first fighter in UFC history to be a concurrent two-division champion.

“I was sitting in your studio talking to you two before this fight and I told you and everybody else in the whole world, I said it at the press conference, he will have to give up one of these belts,” White exclaimed. “Right? Remember me saying that? He’s gonna have to give up one of these belts after he wins.”

White admitted that Conor McGregor stands out amongst the fighters in the UFC and gave him the special opportunity, in which McGregor was able to make history.

“I’ve never let anybody do this but he’s special, he’s different. I’m gonna let him do this right. So that’s it. He had to give up one of the belts. It wasn’t like after the fight I went ‘eeny, meeny, miny, moe’ and I picked the 145-pound belt. He picked the 145-pound belt. That was it.

“You know, I understand he’s upset about giving it up after he won it but that was always the deal! It was always the deal. It’s not like I just pulled this out of nowhere after the fight happened and said he’s gonna have to give up one of the belts. That was always the deal.”

What are your thoughts on Conor McGregor’s short time as the only concurrent two-division UFC champion in UFC history? Does vacating the featherweight title so quickly after winning the lightweight title affect the historic accomplishment in any way? Sound off in the comment section!