The UFC’s lightweight division is perhaps the one that’s in the most limbo right now.

Conor McGregor is apparently still the undisputed champion of the division, Tony Ferguson is the interim champion and will finally face off against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 in Brooklyn to determine who the real champion is.

UFC 223

UFC president Dana White has remained cryptic on whether or not The Notorious has been stripped of the gold, but has admitted that the between El Cucuy and The Eagle will be the real champion, not interim.

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It’s a rather confusing situation to say the least. Despite that, many fans and fighters all believe McGregor has been stripped even though it hasn’t happened publicly.

The Irishman hasn’t fought inside of the Octagon since December 2016 where he defeated Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight crown in the main event of UFC 205. Since then, he fought and lost to Floyd Mayweather inside of a boxing ring with many calling for him to be stripped of the championship because of the inactivity.

White’s comments suggest that the division is finally moving on with McGregor holding up the division, without actually mentioning that he’s been stripped of the gold.

REAL CHAMPIONSHIP

According to MMA Fighting, White said: “I said leading into Mayweather fight, I made it pretty clear, I’ve been in this business for a very long time. When you make an obscene amount of money like that, who knows if they’ll ever come back?

“Right now, with the position we’re in, Conor’s saying, ‘Maybe I’ll come back in August, maybe I’ll come back in September. Well, that’s almost two years. It’s not fair to the rest of the guys in the division. The division has to go on. These guys have been fighting their whole career. Everybody wants to get to that pinnacle and it’s the fair thing to do.

“Listen, I take so much s**t for how much I like Conor McGregor and everything else, but the division has to go on.

“They’re going to fight for the title. This is the real title. I said that Conor can’t hold up the title for two years.”