Why does Conor fight at featherweight?

[hugovela]

He always brags about how big he is for "those featherweights", but he is indeed, a featherweight. He believes he is big and is fighting smaller man. There always been great admiration for guys that beat larger men, ala Fedor, Edgar, BJ, etc, and harsh critique against oversized, same-weight class fighters, ala Jones. Question is, if he himself states he's too big, but proclaim is the best, why doesn't he man up and stop fighting at 145? Are his skills more a reflexion of him proving against lesser opponents sizewise? I'd like to see how he fares against a 155'er rehydrated at night fight.

 

[Cagecide]

You will see it, according to him..unless Edgar wins vs Mendes. See him lose, that is.

 

[NogsHipsKill]

He's ducking RDA Khabib and Duffy!

Pays better to be a big fish in a small pond. Than it does to get eaten alive by fighters your size

 

[burningspear]

Because he can.

 

[Maladroit]

He's afraid of people of his size. He prefers to pick on midgets.

 

[wlu29]

to exploit his size advantage, which would be null and void at LW

 

[wilKO]

He's going to be the first 3 division champion in history so it makes sense to start at FW which he is already part champion of.

 

[OldBoy91]

Conor has repeatedly said he wants to win the 145 and 155 belts and hold them simultaneously, as he did in Cage Warriors. He isn't ducking anything or anyone. Once he's fighting at LW the same people that say he's ducking 155 now will be saying he's ducking 170.

 

[Luger]

It is good for his health

 

[VinceArch]

That's where the UFC told him they would like him at.

 

[hugovela]

Conor has repeatedly said he wants to win the 145 and 155 belts and hold them simultaneously, as he did in Cage Warriors. He isn't ducking anything or anyone. Once he's fighting at LW the same people that say he's ducking 155 now will be saying he's ducking 170.

You can't do that. You need to vacate one title, see Aldo Pettis

 

[SnitchInsider]

Conor said from the very beginning that he would rather be at lightweight, but the UFC insisted on him being at featherweight.

 

[penngomifan2]

Because they all hit like straw weights so its nice down there!!

 

[Zarra]

He wants to be champion in multiple divisions.
He fought guys bigger than him earlier in his career.
And UFC wanted him in featherweight in the first place.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

You can't do that. You need to vacate one title, see Aldo Pettis

I think Dana will allow it in Conor's case.

 

[TheNorseMen]

night fight

 

[cumafish]

He's going to be the first 3 division champion in history so it makes sense to start at FW which he is already part champion of.

 

[neomage2021]

He's going to be the first 3 division champion in history so it makes sense to start at FW which he is already part champion of.

no he wont, and no he is not featherweight champion either or part champ. He is pretend champ.

 

[Jin Akutsu]

http://severemma.com/2014/10/mcgreg...5-defence-in-aviva-stadium-and-then-155-shot/

“If a 155 fight came up I will take it. I’m only gone 26, I’m not going to be making featherweight my whole career, it’s a tough cut. I do it and I do it professionally, but it’s tough.

“I’ll win the belt, maybe I’ll defend it in the Aviva and then I’ll challenge for the lightweight belt, then who knows? That’s definitely in my plans, you better believe that,” he said.

http://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/other-sport/conor-mcgregor-likely-next-ufc-4371238

Dana White also discussed Conor's claim that he would be fighting Diego Sanchez next.

He said: "So Lorenzo (Fertitta) and I went to dinner with him last night, and he said he wants to fight Diego Sanchez in Mexico at 155.

"I said, ‘You're nuts. No way, we'll get you a fight. You'll be fighting soon enough.'

"The kid just wants to fight," he said.

"He said him and Diego have been talking back and forth for a while and he wanted to fight him.

"We basically told him no and he went out and put that on Twitter anyway."

Back in 2013...

http://www.cagedinsider.com/ufc/mcgregor-talks-future-lighting-90-lightweight-division/

“It’s a long way away to be calling people out, but I’d love a 155 fight. A 155 fight I thought was in slow motion on Saturday night if I’m being honest. I believe I’ll be too fast for these guys, any of these guys.”

“I fought at 155. I’ve held belts at 155. I’ve knocked people out at 155. There’s a different dynamic, there’s pros and cons to it,” McGregor said. “A lot of the 155’ers are sluggish. I honestly feel I could go in there and light 90 percent of that division up.”

 

[OldBoy91]

You can't do that. You need to vacate one title, see Aldo Pettis

Yeah, but I could see them making an exception for Conor, at any rate he could hypothetically fight for the 155 belt as the champ at 145, then (supposing he won) immediately vacate the FW championship. He would still technically hold two belts at once.