DANA WHITE PLANS to meet Conor McGregor at the UFC’s Las Vegas headquarters to discuss the future of the former featherweight and lightweight champion.
The UFC president and McGregor were due to have talks over the weekend in Liverpool, where the organisation staged an event for the first time. However, White revealed at the post-fight press conference following Darren Till’s win over Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson that the meeting was unable to take place.
The UFC chief added that he hasn’t been in contact with McGregor since last month’s incident in Brooklyn, where the Dubliner attacked a bus which was carrying UFC fighters, including reigning lightweight title-holder Khabib Nurmagomedov.
“We haven’t seen each other, we haven’t talked, nothing, so we need to get together soon,” White said last night when quizzed about the current status of McGregor.
The aforementioned bus attack is understood to have been an attempt to exact retribution over an incident that took place days earlier, when a verbal altercation ensued as Artem Lobov — McGregor’s team-mate — was cornered by Nurmagomedov and his team.
Video footage seemed to show McGregor throwing a hand truck through the window of the bus. He appeared in Brooklyn Criminal Court to face charges of criminal mischief, misdemeanor assault and menacing and reckless endangerment. The 29-year-old was released on bail but is scheduled to return for a hearing on 14 June.
White, who has yet to confirm if the UFC will take any internal disciplinary action against McGregor, says no plans will be put in place until after the court hearing. However, he believes the Irish superstar will be keen for an opportunity to regain the lightweight title he won in his last MMA bout — a second-round TKO of Eddie Alvarez in November 2016.
“[What happens next with him] depends on what goes on with him in New York in June,” White said, referencing the court hearing. “We can’t determine anything about what’s next for him until June is cleared up.”
McGregor was stripped of the lightweight title in April due to his failure to defend it during the 18 months for which it was in his possession. Nurmagomedov succeeded him at the summit of the 155-pound division by defeating Al Iaquinta via unanimous decision.
Regarding the possibility of Nurmagomedov defending the belt against McGregor, White said: “I’m pretty confident that’s the fight that Conor wants, and I’m pretty confident that’s the fight that Khabib wants. So yeah, I could see that happening.”
