Conor McGregor relinquishes UFC featherweight title
Conor McGregor is no longer a two-division champion after he relinquished the UFC featherweight title on Saturday.
The news was announced during the UFC Fight Night broadcast on FS1 Saturday night.
McGregor gave up the belt out of necessity as the UFC scrambled to find a last-minute main event after light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier suffered an injury that forced him out of his bout with Anthony "Rumble" Johnson on Dec. 10 in Toronto.
According to sources close to McGregor, his team was aware that the UFC would likely make this move to help save the card once the original main event was scrapped earlier this week. McGregor hasn't made any public statement about giving up the featherweight title as of yet.
With options limited, the new UFC 206 main event will see Max Holloway face Anthony Pettis with the interim featherweight title on the line.
The winner of the UFC 206 main event will then go onto face Jose Aldo in 2017.
Aldo already won an interim featherweight title back in July when he defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 200, but now he'll be made the undisputed champion at least for the time being until the division is solidified next year.
The move comes just weeks after UFC 205 ended with McGregor hoisting two world titles in the air after he became the first fighter in history to become a simultaneous champion in dual divisions.
UFC president Dana White had promised even before the event took place that McGregor would eventually have to give up one of the titles rather than hold up two divisions in his absence.
McGregor is also due for some much deserved time off after four fights in 11 months as he plans to sit out until at least May 2017 in anticipation of the birth of his first child.
All told, McGregor's reign as a two-division champion lasted for 14 days before he gave up the UFC featherweight title.
