Daniel Cormier wants Conor McGregor to fight for new 165 Pound UFC Title

04 February 2024

Recent speculation about the potential introduction of a 165-pound division in the UFC has stirred up discussions within the MMA community. Former UFC champion Daniel Cormier has weighed in on the matter, asserting that if the super lightweight division becomes a reality, Conor McGregor should be the one to vie for the inaugural title.

While rumours about new weight classes have circulated, UFC CEO Dana White has previously dismissed the idea. Nevertheless, Cormier contends that introducing a new division requires a marquee name, and McGregor, a former dual-champion, fits the bill perfectly.

Cormier expressed his views on his "Funky and the Champ" show alongside Ben Askren, stating, “If you do 165, it has to be Conor. You’re introducing a new weight class – it has to mean something. You can’t have two normal fighters introducing the weight."

Drawing a parallel to the introduction of the women's featherweight division, which faced challenges after Amanda Nunes's retirement, Cormier emphasized the need for a recognizable name to establish credibility for the new weight class.

“It didn’t work at 145 when they did it for the women. It ended up being two people, but if you recall, Germaine de Randamie fought Holly Holm for that championship in Brooklyn," Cormier remarked. "It wasn’t a great fight, but Germaine de Randamie won the fight and refused to fight Cris Cyborg. Nobody took it seriously until Cris Cyborg became the champion, and when Cyborg became the champion, it wasn’t a problem. The only reason why it worked was because it was Cris Cyborg. That would be the same thing if you add this belt with a guy without a name.”

McGregor, who is anticipated to make his comeback against Michael Chandler, has not yet had a date and venue confirmed for his return.

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Ben Askren, however, disagrees with Cormier's perspective. He argues that McGregor's recent record, including multiple losses, doesn't justify a title shot. Askren suggests creating an alternative title, akin to the BMF (Baddest Motherfcker) belt, proposing the idea of an 'IMF: Irish Motherfcker' belt for McGregor.