Dana White: Conor McGregor is the big-money fight in the UFC right now
Updated Sep 24, 2015 at 9:07p ET
At the recent “Go Big” press conference held in Las Vegas, interim featherweight champion Conor McGregor had words with almost everybody on stage while stating numerous times that fighting him is like winning the lottery.
McGregor has undoubtedly become one of the biggest tickets in the UFC, and now he has everyone from lightweight to bantamweight all clamoring to land a fight with him.
According to UFC president Dana White, McGregor has a point because he's receiving the same kind of attention fighters like Floyd Mayweather received once potential opponents realized the payday they would receive for facing him inside the ring.
"It's no different than in any other sport. Floyd Mayweather would be the big money fight in boxing or an Oscar De La Hoya, or whatever. There's no doubt that Conor McGregor's that guy right now," White told FOX Sports Live on Wednesday night.
"So I don't blame all the guys for chasing him around and wanting to fight him."
McGregor's war of words included a few verbal sparring sessions with current lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos as well as the current No. 1 contender at 155 pounds, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.
McGregor has teased that a move to lightweight is inevitable thanks to a rather brutal weight cut he endures to get down to 145 pounds.
White says McGregor has expressed the same interest to him, but he's also mentioned a possible matchup against Frankie Edgar, if he gets past Chad Mendes at the upcoming "Ultimate Fighter" finale in December.
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"I don't know, but I think so," White said when asked about McGregor moving up to 155 pounds. "If he beats Jose Aldo he told me that he would also like to fight Frankie (Edgar) so we'll see how this thing plays out."
One fight that won't be in McGregor's future is a bout against fellow "Ultimate Fighter" coach Urijah Faber.
Despite Faber being a former WEC featherweight champion, White says it just doesn't make much sense for McGregor to fight him now or likely any time in the future either.
"I just don't see their career paths crossing that way," White stated. "Anything is possible. Conor has a hard time making that 145-pound weight class and I can see him going up before going down."
Next up for McGregor is his fight against Aldo at UFC 194 on Dec. 12 with a chance to unify the featherweight title in what is expected to be one of the biggest cards of the year.
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