|
 UFC president Dana White said last week McGregor had been pulled
from his rematch with Nate Diaz on the July 9 card in Las Vegas
after refusing to fly to the United States for a news conference and
promotional work.
McGregor, who surged through the featherweight ranks before knocking
out champion Jose Aldo in 13 seconds in December, has become the
UFC's hottest property with his outrageous trash-talking outside the
cage and vicious skills inside it.
While there has been speculation Jon Jones could step into the main
event at UFC 200 to fight for the light heavyweight title, the
former champion's labored win over Ovince Saint Preux on Sunday may
have prompted White to give his most bankable asset another chance.
Diaz has said he would only fight McGregor and that he would take a
vacation rather than fight a replacement.
"Happy to announce that I am BACK on UFC 200!" McGregor said on his
Twitter account, thanking White and UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta for
"getting this one done for the fans".
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The brash Irish fighter, who says he has made $400 million for the
organization, has been training in Iceland for the fight with Diaz,
who choked him into submission in a welterweight non-title bout in
March.McGregor had at one point suggested he was retiring from the sport
of mixed martial arts but later said the promotional work was
distracting him from training.
(Reporting by Peter Rutherford; Editing by John O'Brien)
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