
Money weight fights have been ushered to the forefront of the UFC. It’s official, and Conor McGregor’s next fight proves it. Whether you agree with the rankings or not, it’s clear to see they mean very little now.
After two fights at welterweight against Nate Diaz, ‘The Notorious’ had a few options to consider. With his featherweight title remaining undefended, McGregor began teasing a lightweight championship fight against Eddie Alvarez.
Twists & Turns
The UFC threw a few curve-balls with the help of their massive social media reach. Suddenly the idea of Khabib Nurmagomedov getting the next title shot was very real. Then, in the late hours of last night, the UFC was forced to reveal their big story.
After it was leaked by various sources on Twitter, the UFC officially confirmed that Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez will headline UFC 205.
Conor will retain 145-pound belt through UFC 205, White confirms to Van Pelt. See you guys tomorrow at The Theater @TheGarden!
— Dave Sholler (@Sholler_UFC) 27 September 2016
Late Night Breaking News on @notthefakeSVP‘s @SportsCenter: @danawhite confirms @Ealvarezfight vs. @TheNotoriousMMA for #UFC205!
— Dave Sholler (@Sholler_UFC) 27 September 2016
Huge News
Since winning the 145-pound title last December, McGregor is yet to defend it. Having knocked out Jose Aldo in just 13 seconds, McGregor has since stated he needed a break from the rivalry with the Brazilian.
There’s so much more to this fight than meets the eye though. The UFC has a huge new market to consider. The debut of the UFC in New York is absolutely massive, and clearly they wanted the biggest possible fight for Madison Square Gardens on November 12.
Unhappy Reactions
With any major decision off this nature there’s going to be unhappy fans and fighters. The big difference here is the motivation behind the UFC making McGregor vs. Alvarez. Many feel that money is being put before rankings, and there’s plenty of sour grapes going around.
Without even considering Jose Aldo, who’s been calling for a rematch with McGregor for nine months now, who is most impacted? At lightweight, Khabib Nurmagomedov is the man suffering most from this booking.