Dana White: Conor McGregor Understands Why He Will Be Stripped Of UFC Title Before UFC 223

Dana White seemed to confirm that Conor McGregor will be stripped of his lightweight title. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

"I said in the last press conference that fight will be for the title," White told TMZ when asked about the matchup between current interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov. "It's not for the interim title. That fight is for the real title."

When further pressed, White said it was "right" that he would have to strip McGregor of the belt.

"Conor understands (about being stripped of the title). Listen, Conor made a lot of money and he wants some time off, but the division has to go on and the business has to go on," White said.

McGregor won the title in November 2016, but he has yet to defend the belt. In August, McGregor pulled in "around" $100 million for a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather. McGregor lost that bout by TKO in the 10th round.

Ferguson won the interim belt in October with a third-round submission victory over Kevin Lee. The win was his 10th consecutive victory in the UFC. Nurmagomedov, who is unbeaten in 25 professional fights, is coming off a dominant unanimous decision win over Edson Barboza in December.

The current odds on the April 7 fight have Nurmagomedov as a more than 2-1 favorite.

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With UFC 223 fast approaching, UFC President Dana White once again made it clear that the main event of the April 7 fight card will be for the undisputed lightweight title. He also admitted that the UFC plans to strip current undisputed champion Conor McGregor of his title at some point, but stopped short of saying when that would take place.

Dana White seemed to confirm that Conor McGregor will be stripped of his lightweight title. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

"I said in the last press conference that fight will be for the title," White told TMZ when asked about the matchup between current interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov. "It's not for the interim title. That fight is for the real title."

When further pressed, White said it was "right" that he would have to strip McGregor of the belt.

"Conor understands (about being stripped of the title). Listen, Conor made a lot of money and he wants some time off, but the division has to go on and the business has to go on," White said.

McGregor won the title in November 2016, but he has yet to defend the belt. In August, McGregor pulled in "around" $100 million for a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather. McGregor lost that bout by TKO in the 10th round.

Ferguson won the interim belt in October with a third-round submission victory over Kevin Lee. The win was his 10th consecutive victory in the UFC. Nurmagomedov, who is unbeaten in 25 professional fights, is coming off a dominant unanimous decision win over Edson Barboza in December.

The current odds on the April 7 fight have Nurmagomedov as a more than 2-1 favorite.

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