Nate Diaz isn’t shy about saying no and defined why he turned down the possibility to be Conor McGregor’s return opponent within the UFC forward of his bout with Mike Perry beneath the MVP banner on Netflix.
Diaz informed Ariel Helwani within the battle week media that the promotion needed to include him instantly into McGregor’s long-discussed return plans, however the matchup was not interesting on these phrases. Diaz continued to barter a return to the UFC after being taken off the roster in 2022, however finally opted to stay exterior of the corporate and as an alternative field and battle beneath his personal banner.
Why Nate Diaz turned down the possibility to be Conor McGregor’s return opponent
Within the interview, Diaz made his ideas clear, saying he did not need to be used as a B-side to his former rival’s rehabilitation story. He mentioned:
“I do know[the UFC]needed a battle with Conor proper now…and I do not assume it’ll be a comeback story for Conor. I would like Conor again and I would like folks to see him kicking ass. That is the man I would like. I do not need to battle a man they do not know as a result of I do know he’ll come again and do nicely. He would not want to try this to me.”
These feedback arrive amid a brand new wave of McGregor return discuss. Dana White has mentioned in current days that McGregor is scheduled to compete this summer time, with discussions on July’s Worldwide Struggle Week card and a attainable headline slot at UFC 329. McGregor has not fought since breaking his foot in a three-fight battle towards Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. McGregor, 37, is rigorously timing his return after repeated postponements and public back-and-forth together with his opponent.
Diaz, in distinction, saved transferring. After submitting McGregor at UFC 196 and dropping a rematch at UFC 202, he ended his correct UFC run with a victory over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 in September 2022, earlier than testing free company. Since then, he has headlined a pay-per-view boxing match towards Jake Paul in August 2023 and is at the moment fronting an MVP MMA occasion towards former BKFC champion Mike Perry. That battle is being streamed worldwide on Netflix, giving him clout and visibility exterior of the UFC machine.
In that context, his refusal to function McGregor’s launching pad matches with the long-standing dynamic between the 2. Diaz nonetheless desires a 3rd battle, however with McGregor having already confirmed himself towards different opponents, their trilogy feels extra like a conflict of two names who’ve come via the ranks than an adjustment for a star getting back from a layoff.
