UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor has finally let the hostages known as the Featherweight division go.
For nearly twelve months, McGregor has held the UFC Featherweight Championship without a single defence.
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Two unnecessary clashes with Welterweight wannabe Nate Diaz and a Lightweight championship win over Eddie Alvarez is what McGregor has to show for 2016.
With the rise of McGregor some 24 months ago, the Featherweight division became the hottest property of the UFC, reminiscent of the rise of Mixed Martial-Arts (MMA) in the early 2000s.
As 2016 comes to a close, the lack of competition from its champion has left the Featherweights as an afterthought.
Top contenders such as Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis and Renan Barao has been subjected to a series of exhibition fights and “Number One Contender” contests.
To the chagrin of several top tier talents, success has failed to yield a title match.
While McGregor ran around pretending to be a Welterweight, these veterans of the Octagon have been subjected to a lull in their career development and championship aspirations.
All so ‘The Notorious One’ could make a quick buck for the “higher powers that be”.
Now McGregor has claimed the prestigious accolade of becoming the organisation’s first dual division champion.
While this honour lasted just two weeks (he relinquishing the Featherweight championship on the 27th of November), McGregor has now set his sights on dominating the Lightweights.
With news that McGregor’s partner will give birth to his first child in May, it will be a long time until we see him back in the cage.
So where does that leave the Lightweights? In about the same position the Featherweight division was twelve months ago.
No match up with the uncrowned champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
No dream contests up against the likes of Tony Ferguson, Rafael Dos Anjos or ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone.
No final chapter in the McGregor-Diaz saga. Sure, these fights could still be held in the future.
For the time being however, the credibility of the division rests in the hands of an eccentric Irishman.
Gavin R
Guest
The new owners seem to be moving towards blockbuster cards and so far they have delivered. I dont think they should have allowed anyone to get as big as conor has (bigger than the company) but he delivered on promises and been a backable fighter no matter what has been thrown up and thus his current position. I think they've ruined featherweight but the rest is in good order, but stamping out drug cheats is in need of urgent attention
Rob Douglas
Roar Rookie
Absolutely agree mate- the Lightweight's can manage but the point is- they shouldn't have to. It's this concept that McGregor can command when he wants to fight and who against. Sure, he will generate this interest but it's the fact that the sport that demands legitimacy is struggling to hold onto it due to allowing it's biggest star calling the shots
Gavin R
Guest
They've really cheapened their own product here. While Conor isnt going down to featherweight again, most people will say Aldo doesn't deserve the title. Until he loses, it will remain that way. I cant see the divisions title fights having much pull until they shake this. As for the lightweight division, its not in any trouble with Conor out for 6 months. He would likely have fought in march and again in june/july so hes really only missing one fight and regardless, he will generate enormous interest as always.