Conor McGregor expected to be stripped of UFC featherweight title

UFC 206 reportedly has a new main event, and Conor McGregor might be down a title belt.

Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com reported on Saturday that McGregor is expected to be stripped of the featherweight title as a new main event has been booked for UFC 206. Anthony Pettis will now face Max Holloway for the interim featherweight championship in the show’s headliner as Jose Aldo “likely” becomes the division’s champion.

While breaking the news, Helwani noted that McGregor hasn’t necessarily agreed to give up the title but that UFC has the legal right to strip him of it. Dana White had said in the lead up to UFC 205 that McGregor would have to forfeit one of his championships if he defeated Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title in the main event.

McGregor hasn’t yet commented publicly on the situation and the UFC has yet to officially confirm the news.

Pettis vs. Holloway was originally scheduled to be the semi-main event at UFC 206 on December 10th at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto before Daniel Cormier had to pull out of the show due to an injury. Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, who was scheduled to challenge Cormier for his light heavyweight championship, is no longer on the card.

Helwani reported that the UFC wanted to make Johnson vs. Gegard Mousasi for Toronto, but Johnson preferred to wait until Cormier is healthy to fight again.