Conor McGregor: UFC was trying to scare me by floating Carlos Prates matchup

Conor McGregor believes the UFC attempted to discourage his return at welterweight by dangling a matchup against surging contender Carlos Prates. McGregor (22-6) is set to return from a five-year absence against Max Holloway (27-9) at UFC 329 on July 11 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas—a welterweight bout—but the "Notorious" fighter claims the promotion initially floated Prates as an opponent to scare him away from the 170-pound division.

On "The Ariel Helwani Show," McGregor recounted verbally accepting a Prates matchup before the contract mysteriously failed to materialize. "They said to me about [Prates]. I said, 'Yeah, no problem. Send the contract.' So I'm saying yeah for about two weeks. Where's the contract? No contract came. Do you know what it was? They wanted me back down at 155 pounds," McGregor explained.

Prates (24-7) has earned his billing as a legitimate threat: he has finished all seven of his UFC victories and owns only a decision loss to Ian Garry on his record. "The Nightmare" bolstered his title credentials in May with a brutal knockout of former champion Jack Della Maddalena. McGregor, who has competed twice at welterweight in the UFC, appears confident in facing Holloway at 170 pounds despite the UFC's alleged reservations about his divisional placement.