UFC News: ‘No 165-Pound Belt Coming’ – Insider Shuts Down Claims on Conor McGregor & UFC 303 Comeback

Chael Sonnen is fired up about Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler‘s clash and is not on board with the idea of a 165-pound belt for the fight. Daniel Cormier, on the other hand, seems pleased with that idea and advocated for the UFC and Dana White to introduce a 165-pound weight class by having a title fight between McGregor and Chandler. 

However, Uncle Chael does not agree with Cormier at all and they both had a huge argument about this in one of the interviews. Let’s see what opinions the veterans have about this.

Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen are at loggerheads about a 165-pound belt

During the ESPN MMA show ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy’, both ex-UFC fighters eventually went to the topic of the rumored 165lbs category that might be introduced by Dana White for the McGregor vs Chandler fight. Cormier is excited about the new decision and also discussed giving the new division a name and went with ‘super lightweight‘. “Here’s my thought process, right? When it comes down to championship opportunities, I have said this time and time again, a lot of times it comes down to being at the right place, at the right time,” Cormier said.

“I believe that if they’re going to do a 165-pound division, it should have a name attached to the weight class that is so big that it draws people’s attention,” Cormier explained. He suggested that Conor McGregor is that name and Michael Chandler would “benefit from being in the right place at the right time.”  

Sonnen, however, was completely against this idea and said that he did not see the 165-pound happening and said, “no 165-pound belt coming”. He even gave the reasoning that in the history of UFC and Dana White’s psychology, they had never given a title opportunity to anyone who was coming back after losses. He also said, “Michael Chandler, I do believe has finally found a reason to do this fight. I mean the fight does have a big problem. If you’re going to fight, it’s got to be for something. Titles? Makes sense. People understand it.”

He believes that Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor lost their last fight to Dustin Poirier which is reason enough for White to not give them a title shot. 

Michael Chandler is okay with the new weight

Michael Chandler, a perennial lightweight (155 lbs) has competed at 165 thrice, 170 once, and 160 once. Both the fighters have no problem fighting in the new weight class. McGregor also has one of the fastest records of a knockout in the UFC. He had knocked out Jose Aldo within 13 seconds to get the featherweight belt. However, this time he is returning after a hiatus because of the shin surgery after his last fight with Dustin Poirier.

There are talks that the clash is announced to happen at 170 pounds, but there are also rumors that a new weight class of 165 pounds is going to be introduced for this fight specifically. Chandler also revealed his tactical game plan to defeat McGregor, since he believes that McGregor is not the same anymore after the injury.

Do you think that they should fight in the Super Lightweight Division? Or do you agree with Chael Sonnen? Let us know in the comments.