Connor McGregor is UFC’s big star, the guy everyone will watch no matter whom he’s fighting. The only problem for Dana White and company has been figuring out whom he’s fighting.
After Rafael Dos Anjos was forced to withdraw from his UFC 196 fight against McGregor on Tuesday morning, at least four fighters agreed on short notice to replace Dos Anjos on March 5, including bantamweight Urijah Faber. According to Yahoo! Sports, Faber would have moved up two weight classes to take on McGregor.
UFC president Dana White confirmed to Yahoo Sports Faber’s account. Faber is one of four known fighters to agree to the short-notice bout, along with Diaz, ex-lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone.
None of the other three, though, would have been making the dramatic jump up in weight that Faber would have done. Faber, who was the World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champion from 2006 through 2008, has fought at bantamweight with the exception of one bout since 2010.
“Dana called me and offered me the fight,” Faber said. “He said I was who he is pushing for. I accepted [but] Conor ended up wanting Diaz. I was ready. Lean at 158 [pounds].”
Instead of Faber, a former WEC champion and one of the most successful fighters ever at MMA’s lowest weight classes, McGregor will move up to 170 pounds to fight Nate Diaz.
