Conor McGregor Sees UFC 189 Vs. Chad Mendes As Championship, Not Interim Title

Conor McGregor has no use for the term “interim title.” When he steps into the Octagon against Chad Mendes at UFC 189, he says it will be for the real UFC featherweight belt.

Champion Jose Aldo withdrew this week because of a rib injury, creating a chance for Mendes, the No. 2 contender, to step in against McGregor. But even though their fight is officially considered an interim title bout, McGregor dismisses that notion.

“If Jose is afraid and won’t show up, well then, he’s done,” McGregor said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday. “This is for the real featherweight belt. I don’t label this as the interim belt one bit.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is the real title that’s on the line.”

At the same time, McGregor said his primary focus isn’t so much about becoming champion as it is about slicing through a division he claims is his alone.

“I told them I was going to destroy everyone in the division,” he said. “One by one, I would get every single one of them. I said that time and time again. It was never about the champion, it was never about any of that. It was about me destroying every single one of these featherweights and essentially making it a one-man division.

“It doesn’t matter what way it happens, whether it’s Jose or Chad. They’re all going to get it.”