Conor McGregor has been ranked bottom of a list of featherweight champions in the UFC after reigning for a very short period of time.
The former two-division world champion defeated the legendary Jose Aldo within just 13 seconds to win his first undisputed UFC title, but quickly left the division to chase gold at other weights.
He held on to the belt through a brief stint at welterweight against Nate Diaz and a lightweight title win over Eddie Alvarez, but quickly relinquished the 145lb title once he became two-weight champ.
And current champion Alexander Volkanovski has now ranked the Irishman last in his list of featherweight champions given the shortness of his reign and lack of title defences. The Australian has been champion since December 2019 and has had to defeat both Aldo and twice former champion Max Holloway on his run to the top.
Speaking ahead of his third title defence this weekend at UFC 273 against Jung 'The Korean Zombie' Chan-Sung, Volkanovski ranked McGregor behind he, Aldo and Holloway. The Australian said: “You need [title] defences, that’s the thing.
“I’m going to give him respect, the dude can fight. He made some bad decisions and all that type of stuff but he can fight - to take out Aldo in Aldo’s prime, that’s saying something as well. Aldo is still showing he’s still in his prime, he doesn’t age.
“But again, I feel like I’ve definitely done a lot more than him so out of all the champions, I’d say he would have to be at the bottom of the list. He ain’t going to like that but whatever.”
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The Irishman's incredible knockout win over Aldo was the first time the Brazilian had lost in over a decade, and was the first time the featherweight belt had changed hands in the UFC. But McGregor never fought again at the weight, and now appears to be making a home at welterweight, 25lb heavier.
He would often deplete himself to make the gruesome cut to 145lb from his walking around weight that is believed to be around 180lb, although he is currently above 190lb. He has said that the likelihood of making another cut to the lightweight limit of 155lb is unlikely, so his career at featherweight is definitely over.
"Why cut the weight? I've already won the 155-pound title," McGregor pondered in an interview with TheMacLife in Dublin last week. "I got myself to a lightweight frame, but you know, I'm big now, I feel big, I feel strong, I feel healthy. I've got good energy. I'm coming back from a gruesome injury. I don't want to be depleting myself. There should be no need to deplete myself."
