LAS VEGAS – UFC interim lightweight title challenger Tony Ferguson calls Conor McGregor’s apparent plan for a trilogy against Nate Diaz “(expletive) ridiculous and demands the UFC champ “defend or vacate” after facing Floyd Mayweather.

“I know where your head’s at, man,” Ferguson (22-3 MMA, 12-1 UFC) said Thursday during a media day for his upcoming fight with Kevin Lee (16-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) at UFC 216. “You want to be in a money fight – look, you’re fighting the wrong Mexican, man. You’ve got to fight the one with the messed-up ears. The one that you’re fighting is into bikes.

“That’s not a bad thing, but when you get done playing grab-ass in the boxing ring, you need to come back over here and defend or vacate.”

Such is the constant refrain from Ferguson as he tries to wrap UFC gold around his waist. It’s been an elusive goal as an interim title fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov (24-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) was called off last-minute earlier this year when Nurmagomedov was hospitalized prior to UFC 209. And with McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) – and his belt – tied up with “The Money Fight,” Ferguson has been stuck in a holding pattern.

As recently as Wednesday, McGregor intimated the wait to see him defend the UFC lightweight title could be even longer than expected. Two months after UFC President Dana White said McGregor wants to face Nurmagomedov in Russia, the Irish champ said he has a “trilogy fight” waiting for him in the UFC.

That can be no one other than Diaz, with whom he split a pair of box office blockbusters last year. Diaz has been on the shelf since a decision loss to McGregor at UFC 202, turning down an interim title fight with Ferguson when he didn’t like the offered pay.

Rather than wait for the lightweight logjam to clear, Ferguson elected to fight Lee, a surging talent who’s won five straight in the octagon. The two meet Oct. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to determine the replacement champ seven months after Ferguson’s first interim title bout was canceled.

Just a few months ago, it appeared the UFC would attempt to rebook Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov a fourth time. But Ferguson said the undefeated Russian’s team nixed that possibility.

“We gave these guys opportunities,” Ferguson said. “I would have fought in December. This dude would have said, ‘OK, I’m not ready in December. I’m fighting in 2018. You saw Twitter. I had to stay off it because his dumbass manager was doing too much. You talk too much. Stick to what you’re good at, which is managing and matchmaking. Because what you’re doing is lying.

“You’re saying your client is ready in October and November, and the UFC is saying that you said you weren’t ready. Now, you’re going back on your word. I’m like, ‘You know what, I don’t have time for this (expletive).'”

So Ferguson plans to collect the belt after beating Lee. Then he’ll wait for his chance to collect the undisputed one against McGregor. He hopes Diaz doesn’t step in the way.

For more on UFC 216, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.