Conor MccGregor was in Belfast on Friday night at special event in the Devenish Complex.
For the first time, the Dubliner addressed the issue of no longer being the UFC featherweight champion.
Last weekend, during the broadcast of a UFC Fight Night in Melbourne, it was announced that McGregor the title holder and that Jose Aldo was the new champion.
The specifics of how exactly this came about are in dispute. In an interview on Cork Radio station Red FM during the week, McGregor's coach John Kavanagh said that the decision was 'more the UFC' than his fighter having voluntarily relinquished the belt.
In an interview with Yahoo Sports, UFC President Dana White stated that Kavanagh was 'misinformed' and that the decision had been Conor's.
In Belfast last night, McGregor had another take. He said that he'd read numerous articles online about him no longer being champion but that he still has two belts in his possession.
Eddie's still on conscious. What do you mean? I only fought last week.
Them belts are mine. Whatever they want to say, they can say 'ah, well we took the belt, and now it's this guy's belt.' You can play with those fake belts all you want. Jose [Aldo] was KO'd. Eddie [Alvarez] was KO'd. You're looking at the two-weight world champion, and that's it.
I'll say to the UFC - and I love the company - you're fooling nobody.
I've still got them belts. Someone's got to come and take them off me - physically. Not online. Not through a keyboard. The keyboard warriors are not going to take those belts.
It was also announced last night that McGregor will carry the Irish flag when Michael Conlan walks out for his professional boxing debut at Madison Square Garden on St. Patrick's Day next year.
