Conor McGregor claims middleweight title is ‘his’ as he previews UFC 328 grudge fight

Conor McGregor holding his two UFC belts while wearing a white vest and flat cap. Credit: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images

Conor McGregor claims middleweight title is ‘his’ as he previews UFC 328 grudge fight

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Donagh Corby | Last updated May 5, 2026 4:11 AM ET

Conor McGregor appears to have his eye on another UFC world title – despite never having fought in the division.

On Saturday night in the main event of UFC 328, newly-minted middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will defend his belt against the former champion Sean Strickland in Newark. The pair are bitter rivals, and their grudge match looks set to be preceded by a wild fight week.

McGregor will be an interested observer in the fight, but apparently as more than just a fan. He seems to believe that he will soon be a contender for the 185lb belt even though he has yet to fight in the division and being best known as a featherweight and lightweight.

Conor McGregor sends bizarre UFC 328 message

It isn’t particularly strange for Conor McGregor to make an outlandish declaration on X, although he has been more quiet of late. He is currently preparing for his return to the octagon, which is heavily rumoured to be a welterweight rematch with Max Holloway 13 years after their first meeting at 145lb.

Conor McGregor is excited to watch Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland:

"Very excited for [UFC 328] with my 185lb UFC title on the line." pic.twitter.com/Sjrt8C0Q1P
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 4, 2026

Since his last octagon outing in 2021, which took place at lightweight, McGregor has bulked up significantly. He is expected to fight at 170b, where he holds a 2-1 record with wins over Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone.

However, he has previously claimed to be interested in fighting as high as 185lb, noting that he feels a true ‘BMF’ wouldn’t concern themselves with the scale. And while previewing Strickland and Chimaev’s big fight, he claimed that the belt they were fighting for was already his.

“Very excited for the Newark, New Jersey UFC card, with my 185lb UFC title on the line!” McGregor wrote on X in a post that he quickly deleted. “TUNE IN ON @UFConParamount.”

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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