Donald Cerrone teases interim title fight with Conor McGregor
There seems to be more steam picking up in a potential fight between Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and former lightweight champion, Conor McGregor. After UFC President Dana White spoke to the media this week and said he’s down to make the fight for McGregor’s targeted return in the summer, Cowboy took to Instagram to tease the fight between the two could be for an interim lightweight title.
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The post from Cerrone comes off the heels of Dana White saying that if champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is going to be out on the sidelines for a year, then the UFC would consider making an interim title fight in the lightweight division. While the interim title is certainly a possibility for the lightweight division, there would figure to be plenty of backlash from many if Cerrone vs McGregor was the interim title.
There is plenty of belief and reason to think that if an interim title were to be made while Nurmagomedov is on the sidelines, that it would come in a fight between former interim champion Tony Ferguson and top contender Dustin Poirier.
Ferguson was the interim champion and was scheduled to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 until he had to withdraw with a knee injury he suffered while doing media for the event. After he had to withdraw from the fight, Ferguson was stripped of his interim title which he won over Kevin Lee at UFC 216.
Tony Ferguson returned from that injury on the same night that Nurmagomedov defeated McGregor at UFC 229 and defeated Anthony Pettis at the end of the second round. With his victory over Pettis, Ferguson extended his winning streak to 11, having not lost since 2012.
As for Dustin Poirier, he’s seen incredible success since moving up to the lightweight division as he’s gone 4-0 since moving up from featherweight and has one no contest against former champion Eddie Alvarez who he would go on to later defeat in their rematch.
While it’s hard to see McGregor agreeing to a non-title fight against Cerrone, as he is one of the UFC’s biggest drawing prize fighters, the UFC seems to have a situation on their hands regarding the title situation inside the lightweight division.
