McGregor to headline UFC’s New York debut
Conor McGregor will try to become the first fighter to hold two UFC belts simultaneously on a night the sport makes a splashy entrance into the last U.S. state to legalize mixed martial arts.
The wildly popular Irish brawler is fighting in the main event for Eddie Alvarez’s lightweight belt – one of three title fights on a card with several fights that could easily headline on another night. The UFC wants its Madison Square Garden event on Nov. 12 to top the promotion’s biggest cards, especially after UFC 200 in July was marred by doping violations and a lineup that reshuffled several times.
The stacked card also includes new welterweight champion Tyron Woodley’s first title defence against Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, along with strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s defence against fellow Pole Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
Popular veteran fighters Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Miesha Tate, Frankie Edgar, Chris Weidman and Rashad Evans also are on the show.
McGregor (20-3) has become the UFC’s biggest active star in the past two years with a series of gritty fights and a loquacious promotional style. Although he won the UFC’s featherweight title in December with a 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo, his last two fights were lucrative welterweight bouts against Nate Diaz, with McGregor avenging his loss to Diaz in August.
He was originally scheduled to headline UFC 200 in Las Vegas against Diaz, but the bout was bumped when McGregor bickered with the UFC over money and promotional obligations.
McGregor gets to keep his 145-pound title when he takes on Alvarez (28-4), who won the 155-pound belt in July with a first-round stoppage of Rafael Dos Anjos. McGregor still hasn’t defended the featherweight belt.
Aldo beat Edgar in July to win an interim featherweight title, and the Brazilian is unlikely to be happy about the UFC’s latest decision.
UFC president Dana White had previously indicated McGregor would need to defend his belt against Aldo soon.