McGregor to be stripped of title as soon as UFC 223 main event begins

Conor McGregor won't be UFC lightweight champion for much longer.

The Irishman will be stripped of his title as soon as UFC 223's headliner between interim titleholder Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov begins on April 7 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, president Dana White told Lance Pugmire of the LA Times on Friday, citing the language in the bout agreement.

In other words, whoever gets their hand raised on fight night will exit the Octagon as the promotion's undisputed 155-pound king.

"That's exactly right: As soon as one punch is thrown, it's on for the full title and it's only fair," White said. "They've both worked their way up to No. 1 and No. 2. They deserve a shot."

White had long played coy when broached on the stakes of the April matchup, repeatedly refusing to say McGregor would be stripped outright. Pugmire reports his reluctance was due to three previous ill-fated bookings between Ferguson and Nurmagomedov - who'd been booked to clash for an interim crown a year ago at UFC 209, only for the latter to be hospitalized with weight-cut-related complications hours prior.

McGregor hasn't taken the Octagon since he stopped Eddie Alvarez to claim the lightweight crown at UFC 205, but White maintains he "will be back … and when he comes back, he will fight for the title." The Irishman recently last fell to Floyd Mayweather by 10th-round TKO in his lucrative pro boxing debut this past August and recently reaffirmed his desire to get in the saddle.