Conor McGregor has issued a defiant response after being stripped of his UFC lightweight title.

UFC president Dana White revealed at a press conference ahead of Saturday's card at the Barclays Center in New York that McGregor's 155-pound championship will be up for grabs, with the Irishman having not fought for the UFC since winning his belt in November 2016.

McGregor this morning delivered a brief and to-the-point reaction.

You’s’ll strip me of nothing you’s do nothing cunts. — Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 5, 2018

The 29-year-old posted on Twitter: "You's'll strip me of nothing you's do nothing c****."

McGregor, who was beaten in a boxing match by Floyd Mayweather Jr in August 2017, the last time he fought, had been expected to have his crown taken from him for some time.

Number one Tony Ferguson, who held the interim title in his absence, has been booked to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov on four occasions, but the bout is yet to take place.

Nurmagomedov will now face featherweight champion Max Holloway, with the winner claiming McGregor's crown and the interim belt becoming null and void when a new champion is decided.

Quoted in the New York Post, White said: "We're not stripping Tony Ferguson. Tony Ferguson isn't being stripped. The only one that's losing a belt here is Conor. Conor is losing the the belt. These two (Nurmagomedov and Holloway) are fighting for the belt."

- PA