McGregor Queries Absent Featherweight Title at UFC 197 Presser

The MMA world so rarely gets to see a bout pitting "champion versus champion" that the absence of McGregor's featherweight title was one of the most blatant details of yesterday's UFC 197 press conference.

While Rafael Dos Anjos' lightweight belt took pride of place in front of him at the MGM Grand, 'The Notorious' duly noted the barren landscape in front of him after he appeared on the stage. The Irish featherweight might have noticed that his own belt was not present at the beginning of the press conference had he came in at the same time as Dos Anjos, Holly Holm and Meisha Tate. However, having delayed proceedings by 30 minutes, 'The Notorious' did not immediately realize that something was missing when he eventually joined the others on stage.

"Where the fuck is my belt?" asked McGregor after about ten minutes, which was audible to the watching world as Holm was being asked a question. Shorty after he had the revelation, McGregor was questioned about his missing title.

"That's what I'm wondering—where is my damn belt?" he answered.

Dana White took over and explained that because McGregor's belt wasn't up for grabs in the contest, there was no need to display it at the press conference.

"He's challenging for the 155 lbs belt," explained White. "Everybody knows that. He's challenging for this belt, his belt isn't on the line. If he loses in this fight he is still the 145 lbs champion."

By all means, the UFC president's explanation makes sense, but if we can cast out minds back to the last super-fight the company promoted, which pitted Georges St-Pierre against BJ Penn, the two titles were held aloft and the "champion versus champion" angle was prominent throughout the build up.

Interestingly enough, when St-Pierre and BJ Penn were brought together for their own press conference ahead of the 2008 clash, both men sat behind their respective titles despite GSP's welterweight strap only being up for grabs on the night. For a lot of fans, the fact that McGregor's title was not at the forefront of yesterday's press conference points to the suggestion that all is not well between McGregor and the UFC brass, as was reported by Bleacher Report on January 12.

On of the most memorable moments of the presser came when the featherweight champion gave "the department" responsible for the UFC 197 poster a concise dressing down, as his title didn't feature in the event's artwork either. Although his tirade was most likely an attempt to portray himself as one of the head honchos of the company, some believe it is further evidence to support Bleacher Report's article that stated that there is currently a rift between McGregor and White.

"This is a super fight and I look at the poster and I see myself tucked in the back there. I see a guy whose last gate was 1.7 million. (Dos Anjos) fought on free TV. He's never brought a dime to the company. He's never made a dime yet he is sitting there on the front of my poster."

"I think that's a department that needs to be looked at. Somebody is sleeping on the job, this is a super fight – where are all these historic images? These are posters that will be looked back on long after it's all said and done. You're going to have to look back on that, absolute garbage," he snarled looking at the event's poster.

"I think I might have to go into the department because they must be getting comfortable in that poster department. They'd want to start getting their act together and doing their damn job. The posters are a significant part of the sport's history."

Both White and McGregor dispelled the reports of their falling out just as McGregor was making his way to his seat at the press conference.

"We were cool 'til this," White said before McGregor arrived. "We're good," he said before he implored that the further questioning on their relationship should be directed at McGregor, who had just arrived on stage.

"2015 was a good year of business," McGregor backed up White's sentiments. "Business is phenomenal, all you've got to do is look back at the last year for myself and the company.

"There was nothing about tardiness, I apologize for my time keeping. I do not wear watches to tell the time. I operate on my own time, but I am here now and I apologize."

White had vehemently denied the reports that he and McGregor were at logger heads on January 16 when he tweeted that Jeremy Botter, the veteran writer responsible for the Bleacher Report article, was a "weirdo journalist" who was "lookin for clicks."

"This weirdo "journalist" keeps putting out BULLSHIT about me and Conor. I have no issues with Conor what so ever! Scumbags Lookin for clicks," wrote White.

The alleged tells at yesterday's press conference would be incredibly hard to use to substantiate White and McGregor's reported rift, but that doesn't mean we're going to hear any less about it. There is no doubt that a lot of people are watching the interactions between the UFC president and his biggest male star quite closely, and should McGregor remain at the top of the sport, they will probably continue until the day he retires or leaves UFC.