UFC may strip McGregor’s lightweight title

White warns McGregor he faces being stripped of his UFC lightweight title if he remains out of the octagon until September.

Conor has said he’s thinking about coming back in September. If he comes back in September that’s almost two years, that can’t happen, it’s not fair to everybody else…I love Conor, I respect Conor, I love everything he’s done for this company, but the belt would have to move on.

White says McGregor’s continued absence is unfair to his division rivals and added talks are under way for interim champion Tony Ferguson to take on undefeated Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov in a bout for the lightweight title.

You do Khabib versus Tony. We’re working on that fight now. If and when Conor comes back, he will get the first crack at the title.

"Conor has said he's thinking about coming back in September. If he comes back in September, that's almost two years…that can't happen." — @danawhite

Dana speaks on #UFCSTL, Khabib, Tony and of course…Conor McGregor possibly being stripped. https://t.co/fTlT8sD2I3

— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) January 15, 2018