Ferguson issues ultimatum to McGregor: Defend title or vacate

Since a date with Khabib Nurmagomedov clearly isn't meant to be, Tony Ferguson is aiming a rung higher on the lightweight ladder.

A day after unforeseen issues with Nurmagomedov's weight cut scrapped an interim title fight that would've been the co-main event of Saturday's UFC 209, "El Cucuy" issued a callout to the lightweight division's undisputed king, Conor McGregor.

"The Notorious" claimed the title with a second-round knockout of Eddie Alvarez just four months ago, but with McGregor's sights currently set on a superfight with legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather, Ferguson punctuated the challenge with an ultimatum to either fight him or vacate the strap.

The winner of the contender's third ill-fated meeting with Nurmagomedov was expected to face McGregor in a unification bout, but between the Irishman's freewheeling and the Russian's latest in a string of health issues, even UFC president Dana White can't project the division's fate.