How did Conor McGregor lose his UFC belts?

Conor McGregor with both UFC titles
Conor McGregor with both UFC titles

MMA's biggest name Conor McGregor once held the UFC and Cage Warriors featherweight and lightweight championships. He was the first-ever double champ in the UFC. However, let's take a look at how the Irishman lost his UFC belts.

Interestingly, 'The Notorious' didn't lose his titles inside the caged ring. He vacated his UFC featherweight title in 2016 owing to his prolonged inactivity in the division.

After unifying the featherweight title by triumphing over Jose Aldo at UFC 194 Conor McGregor spent the next year fighting Nate Diaz twice at welterweight.

He then crossed over to the lightweight division and defeated then-champion Eddie Alvarez to become the UFC's first ever two-division champion.

However, he was later stripped of his lightweight strap due to inactivity in the division. After winning the belt from Alvarez, the Irishman took time off the octagon to fight boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in the squared circle.

The UFC eventually set up a fight between Al Iaquinta and Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 for the undisputed lightweight championship.

Even though the Irishman met Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in an effort to win the lightweight title back, he lost the bout via a fourth-round submission.

As for his Cage Warriors titles, McGregor vacated them when he signed a multifight deal with the UFC in 2013.


When Conor McGregor called out former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman

Perhaps UFC's biggest draw, Conor McGregor is looking to create history yet again by claiming a third UFC title.

Last year, after Kamaru Usman's second win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261, McGregor suggested that he was coming for the the Nigerian's welterweight title. In a tweet, 'Notorious' stated:

"Usman even copying my shots now. Am I to fight this guy at some stage? I think so. Can’t be copying my words and my shots and not get a smack for it. I like 170. It’s mine soon."

Although Usman lost his welterweight title to Leon Edwards earlier this year, McGregor's plans to return to the 170-pound division are still very much intact. In fact, in a recent tweet, the 34-year-old revealed that he was planning to make his UFC comeback as a welterweight.

'The Notorious' has been out of action since his infamous leg break at UFC 264. According to UFC President Dana White, the Irishman is eyeing an early 2023 return to the octagon.

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