Featherweight champion Conor McGregor is chasing history. He could become the only fighter in UFC history to hold two divisional titles at the same time when he faces lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos for the 155-pound belt at UFC 197 on March 5.
It’s not the first time that a fighter has wanted to go after two belts, but it’s the first time the Las Vegas-based fight promotion has allowed it.
Former featherweight champion Jose Aldo requested to move up and compete for the lightweight strap multiple times. According to the Brazilian, he was told that he would have to relinquish his 145-pound title in order to fight for the 155-pound championship.
“I asked to do the exact same thing years ago and they said no. I always asked to fight for the lightweight title, and they said I would have to abandon my belt and fight without it,” recently said Aldo during a media scrum interview in Rio de Janeiro.
McGregor’s popularity probably played the biggest part in the decision to give him the green light to go after the lightweight belt, but UFC president Dana White says it was more than that.
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“When everybody asks me why I would let Conor hold two belts when we’ve never done it before; Conor has kept his word on everything that he’s said he was going to do,” said White during a recent press conference in Las Vegas.
“He’s done everything that he said he would since the day he set foot in here. He said he would fight four times a year. He really likes money,” White added. “I believe that he will do it.”