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For Dana White, Nate Diaz vs. Dustin Poirier at 165 pounds is just 'fake news'

LAS VEGAS – Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier are still fighting at UFC 230 but certainly not at 165 pounds.

UFC President Dana White called the fighters’ recent social media campaign for a new title belt in the weight class “fake news” during Thursday’s UFC 229 press conference.

“It’s never been talked about,” White said.

Diaz (19-11 MMA, 14-9 UFC) and Poirier (24-5 MMA, 16-4 UFC) seemed content to drum up interest in the prospect, especially as the promotion continued to seek a headliner for the Nov. 3 event. Thinking the promotion needs a title fight, they offered their own in a division not available in the UFC.

But White is adamantly against the addition of a 165-pound class. He’s called Diaz and Poirier’s ploy “nutty as hell” and shut it down quickly.

Despite the adoption this past year of new weight divisions, including one between lightweight and welterweight, and support from his own staffer, UFC VP of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky, White doesn’t want it added to the list of divisions already promoted.

“I don’t like anything about it,” White said Thursday. “It depletes the 155-pound division. All the guys that can’t win titles at 55 or (170) are going to try to move to (165) and try to win a title.”

Several fighters already have expressed the desire to test the waters at 165 pounds, including veteran lightweight Kevin Lee, who suffered a bad weight cut for his interim title bout against Tony Ferguson last year and lost via submission.

No less a star than Conor McGregor has endorsed the idea of promoting a 165-pound class, arguing the promotion has already devalued its belts by “stripping people left and right.”

Another division – and champion – might give the UFC a fallback plan when it finds itself scrambling for a last-minute headliner. But according to White, the promotion is doing just fine with what it has.

For more on UFC 230, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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