Conor McGregor title saga has left Tony Ferguson absolutely furious at Dana White
TONY FERGUSON is furious with Dana White's refusal to reveal if Conor McGregor has been stripped of the UFC lightweight title.
Tony Ferguson (L) and Conor McGregor (R)
Throughout January, the UFC's president has repeatedly suggested that McGregor's lengthy hiatus from the Octagon could result in him being relieved of his lightweight title.
At a press conference on Friday night, White was expected to announce that the promotion had stripped the Irishman of the lightweight crown following the booking of Ferguson's UFC 223 bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov, which in a press release was labelled a 'title bout.'
White suggested the UFC had bit the bullet and stripped McGregor of his third title in the promotion but stopped short of uttering those words, much to the annoyance of Ferguson, who is of the belief that he and Nurmagomeodv will be fighting for the undisputed lightweight title on April 7.
"Yeah, it bothers me. It bothers the s**t out of me, dude,” Ferguson told Ariel Helwani during an appearance on The MMA Hour. “Straight up.
"I’m the f*****g champ and we don’t know if we’re fighting for the real belt or not. What the f**k is that?
"Dana White is telling us one thing on one [side] of the curtain and on the other side, he’s saying, ‘No, Conor McGregor is the champion. Go and do your homework.’
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I love Dana, man, but I’m like, ‘What the f**k, dude?
"And I love Dana, man, but I’m like, ‘What the f**k, dude?
"Am I not the champ or am I the champ? Do you want to hype me up or do you not want to hype me up for this fight?’”
White's failure to provide clarity on the lightweight title situation by dodging journalists' questions on McGregor's status as champion has struck a nerve with Ferguson, who reckons the UFC chief is ashamed of the ongoing saga.
Dana White has refused tor reveal if Conor McGregor has been stripped of the UFC lightweight title
“It was almost like they were kind of embarrassed to ask or to be questioned,” he added.
“They didn’t know what the f*ck was going on. It was kind of like, ‘Well sh*t, what’s going on?’
"Look, I understand that there’s business, and there’s probably big business to have to do with McGregor, but that has nothing to do with myself or my family.
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"He does not make our world go around, that’s what I’m trying to say. I have 10 fights in a row that I have won via my coaches and my teammates and my family, not even in that order.
"Even before that, I knocked out everybody at 170 pounds. I’m a fight finisher. I’m a fan pleaser.
"And I go out there and I make people bloody. I’m the worst nightmare for anybody that steps inside that Octagon, and I am the f*****g champ.”