McGregor breaks UFC record for longest title reign without a defense
Conor McGregor etched his name in the UFC record books Sunday without lifting a finger.
The current UFC lightweight champion passed Anthony Pettis and now owns the longest consecutive UFC title reign without actually defending the belt, according to Nick Dwyer of Everlast. As of Monday, it's been 464 days and counting since McGregor defeated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.
| Name | Days before defense | Division | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conor McGregor | 464+ | Lightweight | Nov. 12 2016 - Present |
| Anthony Pettis | 462 | Lightweight | Aug. 31 2013 - Dec. 6 2014 |
| Frank Mir | 419 | Heavyweight | June 19 2004 - Aug. 12 2005 |
| Cain Velasquez | 385 | Heavyweight | Oct. 23 2010 - Nov. 12 2011 |
| Matt Serra | 378 | Welterweight | Apr. 7 2007 - Apr. 19 2008 |
(Stats courtesy: Nick Dwyer)
Anthony Pettis went 462 days before successfully defending the lightweight title against Gilbert Melendez at UFC 181.
McGregor does not currently have a title defense scheduled. However, the upcoming bout between Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 has led some to wonder whether UFC president Dana White will strip McGregor of his title due to inactivity.