Conor McGregor has announced he is done with the UFC lightweight division, declaring the 170-pound welterweight cut far more comfortable. The Irish star, who faces Max Holloway at UFC 329, made the revelation in comments reported by Yahoo Sports, saying goodbye to the 155-pound class where he captured a second championship title.
McGregor, despite holding the featherweight title earlier in his career, never registered a single defense at 145 pounds. Yahoo Sports noted he struggled with the "nasty" cut to featherweight and was "unhappy," prompting his jump to lightweight. Now at welterweight, he claims the move suits him better.
The 36-year-old doubled down on his legacy, telling ESPN that a win over Holloway would cement him as the greatest featherweight of all time. That distinction is hotly debated, given his lack of title defenses in the division compared to champions like Jose Aldo or Alexander Volkanovski.
McGregor's shift to 170 pounds reshapes the lightweight and welterweight hierarchies. He has not fought since a broken leg in 2021, and UFC 329 marks his return with serious implications for the promotion's pound-for-pound rankings and future matchmaking.
"I'm the featherweight GOAT," McGregor told ESPN, though critics point to his single divisional reign without a defense. The matchup against Holloway, a former champion himself, will test whether McGregor's claims hold water against elite competition at a new weight.
--- Counter Argument: Critics argue McGregor's featherweight GOAT claim is hollow given zero title defenses — a record that pales beside champions who dominated for years. His move to welterweight could be seen as avoiding the stacked lightweight division rather than a strategic career choice.