Conor McGregor moves up to welterweight after leaving UFC lightweight division
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 8, 2026, 7:08 PM
Last updated Jul 8, 2026
Conor McGregor has announced his departure from the UFC lightweight division, confirming a transition to compete at welterweight. Coach John Kavanagh stated that McGregor finds the 170-pound category a more comfortable weight cut, aligning with his physical attributes. At nearly 38 years old, McGregor aspires to complete another 100 fights before retirement. He is expected to fight again under his current UFC contract, with plans for activity by early July and hopes for a bout before the year's end. The timeline for his next appearance remains uncertain as he prepares for a potential match against Max Holloway this weekend.
- •McGregor leaves UFC lightweight division for welterweight competition.
- •Coach Kavanagh supports McGregor's decision for a more comfortable weight cut.
- •McGregor plans to fight again before the end of the year.
- •His next match could be against Max Holloway this weekend.
- 7:08 PMYahoo Sports — That’s a wrap! Conor McGregor says goodbye to UFC lightweight division — ‘170 is a comfortable cut’
"Despite his claims of being the greatest featherweight in history, Conor McGregor failed to register a single title defense because he couldn’t handle the “nasty” cut to featherweight. In fact, “Notorious” was so “unhappy” he abruptly jumped to lightweight, where he got swole on steaks and captured a second championship title — while mixing in […]
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