Conor McGregor Not Back on UFC 200 Card, Per Dana White

UFC President Dana White on Monday denied featherweight champion Conor McGregor’s claim that he had been added back to the UFC 200 card on July 9 in Las Vegas.

“It’s not true,” White told TMZ Sports. “We haven’t talked to Conor or his manager since the press conference. I don’t know why he would tweet that.

“All the media keeps asking me that,” he added. “I feel like the scene in ‘Step Brothers’ when they ask if they can build the bunk beds. I don’t know how many more times I can say the fight is off or how many more press conferences I can have saying the fight is off for people to believe it’s off.”

McGregor claimed via Twitter that he had been placed back on the UFC 200 card: “Happy to announce that I am BACK on UFC 200! Shout out to @danawhite and @lorenzofertitta on getting this one done for the fans. #Respect”

McGregor on April 19 was pulled from a scheduled rematch with Nate Diaz at UFC 200 after he announced on Twitter that he planned to retire. Despite the fact that McGregor’s announcement preceded the UFC’s by several hours, UFC President Dana White told ESPN that the UFC pulled McGregor from the card due to the SBG Ireland rep missing promotional obligations in Las Vegas.

“We pulled Conor McGregor from UFC 200, and we’re working on other fights right now,” White said. “Conor did not want to come to Las Vegas and film the commercial or be part of any of the marketing that we have. He’s in Iceland training, and it’s not possible.”

White attempted to liken the situation to that of Nick Diaz being removed from the main event of UFC 137 after failing to attend a press conference to promote an October 2011 fight with Georges St. Pierre. He claimed in a later interview with radio host Colin Cowherd that his relationship with McGregor had not fractured.

“Our relationship isn’t damaged at all,” he said. “I can tell you this: Conor was making a lot of money for this fight. It’s not like I’m asking Conor to come out here and do something none of the other fighters are doing. All the other fighters are showing up and doing it, and it’s not like this is three weeks before his fight. His fight isn’t for three months. So Conor at the end of the day for whatever reason, he freaked out about this. He’s a very reasonable guy, a smart guy. He likes money. This is weird.”