Division: Lightweight
Date: November 12, 2016
No. of Defenses: 0
Length: 511 Days

What Was the Problem?

McGregor's reign at 145 pounds fell flat, yes, but it wasn't really that bad on the whole.

Though he never defended the strap, there weren't any particularly interesting contenders around at the time. Max Holloway's heyday hadn't yet arrived, Brian Ortega wasn't even on the top-10 radar, Frankie Edgar was coming off a lopsided loss and Jose Aldo only lasted 13 seconds in his first go-around. Granted, all these would have been interesting fights but it didn't really feel like McGregor had any unfinished business when he left behind the featherweight title.

That's not the case with 155 pounds, though.

When McGregor was first announced to face Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 197, it was met with general excitement among both fans and pundits. Not just because of the pure novelty of that fight, mind you, but because there were so many exciting dream matches awaiting McGregor at 155 pounds.

McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone? McGregor vs. Anthony Pettis? McGregor vs. Tony Ferguson? McGregor vs. Edson Barboza? The possibilities were endless.

Alas, none of these came to pass.

Even in the throes of his rivalry with Nate Diaz, McGregor was open in his commitment to facing Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match and when he won his second belt at UFC 205? That commitment only deepened. 

Unfortunately, while most of McGregor's career to that point had been defined by speed, The Money Fight proved to be a long, drawn-out affair.

Getting the UFC on board with the fight took months of McGregor's time. Getting the UFC, Showtime and the Mayweather camp all on the same page wasn't quick, either. Then, after it was all over, negotiating a new contract with the UFC that accounted for his increased popularity took almost a full year.

For McGregor, the nine-figure windfall he got from the bout likely cures any ills that may have cropped up. Fans and fighters, however, were just left hanging during his 23-month layoff.

He was unceremoniously stripped of the title in April and, ultimately, it's hard not to lament all the possibilities that were missed out on. Yes, he'll return in October for an epic showdown with Khabib Nurmagomedov...but most of the dream matches that had fans drooling back in 2015 have since become impossibilities.