Conor McGregor told the featherweight division he would slice through it with rapid abandon. He did so by managing to win the 145 lb belt just 32 months after his UFC debut.
It could have been sooner had Jose Aldo not withdrawn from UFC 189 with fractured ribs.
Aldo is now the UFC featherweight champion again and McGregor must content himself with his lightweight belt [although he could well have a crack at the welterweight title in 2017].
The news was announced by the UFC late on Saturday night [Irish time] and was confirmed on the promotion's official website today.
While The Notorious has yet to give his personal take on the loss of his featherweight belt, there has been a flurry of online reaction from fellow UFC fighters. Even John Kavanagh, McGregor's coach, has offered his take on affairs.
https://twitter.com/John_Kavanagh/status/802860555128213505
Neil Seery made a decent point
https://twitter.com/NeilSeeryMMA/status/802880824555216897
Cole Miller made a valid point about the 'interim title' fight between Anthony Pettis and Max Holloway
https://twitter.com/colemillerATT/status/803000880580567040
Interim champs all over the shop
https://twitter.com/EliasTheodorou/status/802739562703425537
Holloway was focused on his fight
https://twitter.com/BlessedMMA/status/802721950975991808
So was Showtime
https://twitter.com/Showtimepettis/status/802730831810732032
As for the re-crowned champion
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNVZllnherx/
Funnily enough, given the amount of McGregor trash-talking over the past three years, there was no-one gloating his featherweight demise or his losing of the 145 lb strap.
Perhaps they are keeping their heads down in case "Daddy", as McGregor referred to himself in the division, comes back.
The deed is done.
Dick Clerkin makes his GAA Hour debut to talk about a wonderful career and argue passionately with Colm Parkinson over Sky Sports GAA. Subscribe here on iTunes.
