Dana White Would Strip Conor McGregor of Title If He Doesn't Fight Until Sept.

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UFC President Dana White has said lightweight champion Conor McGregor would be stripped of his title if the 155-pound star does not fight until the latter's preferred date of September.

MMAjunkie's Mike Bohn reported on White's recent comments regarding a meeting between interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson and top title contender Khabib Nurmagomedov:

McGregor hasn't fought in the Octagon since he knocked out Eddie Alvarez to win the UFC lightweight championship at UFC 205 in November 2016.

The UFC stripped McGregor of his UFC featherweight championship not long after he won the lightweight belt to become the promotion's first dual-weight champion.

MMAjunkie's Chamatkar Sandhu provided further comment from White:

Almost five months have passed since McGregor lost to undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the 10th round of his professional boxing debut.

Despite talk of McGregor's additional eight-month MMA absence, his recent social media activity suggests he's staying ready for prospective competition:

If the UFC do strip McGregor of his lightweight belt, it will be the first time in some three years that the Dubliner hasn't held some form of title—interim or otherwise—in the sport.

The decision would also serve as a reminder to McGregor that no fighter is bigger than the company, with a fair title fight needed to encourage competition among the ranks.