UFC 205 may have well been one of the most impressive cards put on by the company, but the history-breaking precedents weren’t just confined to them staging their first ever event at the hallowed Madison Square Garden.
Conor McGregor served up a juicy slice of history for himself when he became the first UFC fighter ever to hold two Championship belts at the same time, when he knocked out Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez in the second round.
McGregor, who was already the UFC Featherweight Champion, was scheduled to fight for Rafael Dos Anjos earlier this year when he was the Lightweight Champion. However, when the Brazilian pulled out due to a foot injury, Nate Diaz took his place and McGregor’s vision of being a two-division king was dragged on a detour after losing to the Stockton native at UFC 196
After avenging his loss at UFC 202, however, McGregor went after the 155 pound strap again, this time targetting Eddie Alvarez who had meanwhile taken it off Rafael Dos Anjos.
The lead up to the event was predominated by speculation regarding what “left field” announcement Conor McGregor was going to make, especially since UFC President Dana White himself alluded to it in an interview.
The post fight press conference held the answer to that as McGregor revealed that he may be taking some time off given that his long time partner Dee Devlin was pregnant and expecting a baby early next year. Along with that, he also said that he expects ‘equity’ in the UFC now, given that he’s made them so much money.
Holding the Championship belts of 2 divisions, McGregor has an insane amount of leverage to play his cards right now, and it remains to be seen how the UFC – under new management – would be taking things forward with him.
One could get a sense that unless the right offer was on the table, McGregor wasn’t keen on returning from his hiatus and continuing his association with the UFC. And after the way he has risen to the occasion time and again, few can blame him for staking a bold claim to what he feels is his.
