UFC’s Dana White looking for answers from McGregor, Mayweather and a TV partner

Reporting from Las Vegas —  Dana White has maintained a dialogue with Conor McGregor since the UFC lightweight champion cashed in more than $100 million for boxing Floyd Mayweather Jr. in August.

“He’s been like the same Conor,” White said Friday.

But McGregor clearly isn’t the same underdog who thrust himself into mainstream sporting consciousness two years ago this month by knocking out then-featherweight champion Jose Aldo in 13 seconds.

This year will end without McGregor fighting in the UFC. And McGregor will have undeniable leverage when White presses the issue on when his star fighter will return to the UFC.

“I haven’t messed with Conor at all. It’s the holidays. There’s nothing to be made right now, anyway,” White said. “Conor’s enjoying his money right now, probably is having a great Christmas with the family. Let him spend that time. We’ll start talking soon.”

White, during a conversation following Friday’s UFC 219 official weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena, touched on a variety of other subjects, too.

He met Thursday with Mayweather, initiating an exploratory process as White moves into boxing promotion.

“I’m meeting with everybody in boxing over the next two months — not Bob Arum [of Top Rank], no — but I just did business with those guys, with [Mayweather’s manager Al] Haymon and Mayweather and it was a very good experience, so I met with them first,” White said.

He said the discussion wasn’t about proposing to become the voice of Mayweather’s boxers.

“I’m just out talking to people. I’m listening. And then I’ll come up with a plan,” White said. “I don’t exactly know what I’m going to do or what my place is in it. I’m taking in a lot of information right now. Just listening, meetings with the who’s who,” White said.

He said he expects the venture to be fruitful and isn’t starting it by plotting frequent crossover boxing matches by his most talented stand-up UFC fighters.

“I’m thinking of just boxing and MMA,” White said.

As for determining the UFC’s new television deal, with its past seven-year, $100-million union with Fox expiring in 2018, White said, “We’re out there talking and very confident we’re going to get a great TV deal.”

Reports placed Fox’s opening offer at $200 million, far shy of what last year’s UFC buyer WME/IMG projected.

One of the possible bidders could be Turner Sports, and White said Turner “was in the talks when we were looking for a buyer. I love Turner. I love [Turner President David] Levy. That would be awesome, too. We’re talking to everyone...”

White expressed excitement about Saturday night’s main event between women’s featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino and Holly Holm, knowing that women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has expressed interest in fighting the winner.

He’s also mulling the placement of a title defense by featherweight champion Max Holloway in his home state of Hawaii.

“It’s up to me if we want to go do a fight outside,” White said of Aloha Stadium, with no specific date yet eyed. “But I’m considering it.”

On Jan. 20, top heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou meets champion Stipe Miocic in the UFC 220 main event in Boston. Coming off a sensational knockout win earlier this month, Ngannou is seen by many around the sport as a prime successor in terms of star power with McGregor’s situation and the recent title relinquishment by middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

“Everybody always tells us what we need,” White said when asked who the company’s next star will be. “What we need to do is put on great fights, continue to grow the business.

“As long as we work hard, continue to find new talent coming through the pipeline, it all works out and it all comes together. This business doesn’t ride on any one, two or three guys or girls.”