White: Nunes next for Cyborg, Nurmagomedov for Ferguson
Dana White: “If Conor wants to sit out until next fall, then we’d have to make Khabib versus Tony for the title, not the interim title.”
UFC president Dana White recently spoke with Kevin Iole for Yahoo Sports and cleared up uncertain title pictures in two divisions.
UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor never defended his featherweight belt, and gave it up after he won the lightweight title at UFC 205 on 12 November 2016. He hasn’t defended that one either, and White put a shelf life on it.
While McGregor is the champ, the Interim title is held by Tony Ferguson. With Khabib Nurmagomedov executing an utterly dominant performance at UFC 219 on Saturday, White is game to give him a shot at a title.
As long as Conor is willing to fight by March, we could do Khabib versus Tony and then the winner fights Conor for the title, said White. Or, if Conor wants to sit out until next fall, then we’d have to make Khabib versus Tony for the title, not the interim title.
Women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg recently announced that she had accepted a fight with Australia’s Megan Anderson, in Australia. That plan, however, appears off after just days.
First of all, Amanda Nunes wants to fight her,” said White. “Amanda Nunes wants to fight Cyborg. That is the fight to make and that is the fight I will make. That’s the fight. … Amanda Nunes is a big, strong, powerful puncher. I think she matches up very well with Cyborg, too, and I think that’s a fun fight.”
While White had a March deadline for McGregor, Cyborg’s next fight was a little less defined.
Cyborg wants to fight so we’ll get her a fight as soon as we can get it done, as soon as Amanda can prepare and get ready for this fight, said White. We’re ready to roll.
