Conor
McGregor believes the
UFC didn’t want him to return to competition at
welterweight.
McGregor (22-6) returns from a five-year hiatus in a welterweight
tilt against Max
Holloway (27-9) at UFC 329
on July 11 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. There were brief
rumors of McGregor potentially returning against surging
welterweight contender Carlos
Prates.
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McGregor recently confirmed that Prates had indeed been suggested
to him as an opponent. “Notorious” claims he verbally accepted a
matchup against Prates. However, McGregor claims he didn’t receive
any contract after accepting the booking. McGregor believes the UFC
wanted him to return at lightweight. According to McGregor, the UFC
brass was suggesting tough matchups for him to scare him away from
the welterweight division.
Ready and Willing
“They said to me about [Prates],” McGregor said on „The Ariel Helwani Show.” “I said, ‘Yeah, no
problem. Send the contract.’ So I’m saying yeah for about two
weeks. Where’s the contract? No contract came. Do you know what it
was? They wanted me back down at 155 pounds.”
McGregor has competed twice at welterweight in the UFC. Meanwhile,
Prates (24-7) has finished all seven of his UFC wins while only
dropping a decision against Ian Garry.
“The Nightmare” made a legitimate case for a title shot with a
brutal knockout win over former champ Jack
Della Maddalena this past May.