“Notorious” didn’t appreciate Diaz claiming the Irishman, “didn’t know” how to take over boxing.
Conor McGregor didn’t spend his Saturday night (Sept. 10, 2022) live-tweeting UFC 279 like he does on some evenings. But, “The Notorious” was following the news coming out of the event, which took place inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, including Nate Diaz’s comments about the sensitive Irishman.
Following Diaz’s big fourth round submission win over Tony Ferguson (watch highlights here), the Stockton, Calif., fighter confirmed he was leaving UFC to fight under his own promotional banner, Real Fight Inc. What combat sports rules he’ll compete under remain a mystery, but Diaz said he planned on showing the rest of UFC’s roster how it’s done.
“I want to get out of the UFC for a minute and show all these UFC fighters how to take over and own up another sport, how you’re supposed to do it,” he said during his post-fight victory interview. “Because Conor McGregor didn’t know how to do it.”
It didn’t take long for McGregor to respond.
“Ah come on bro I’m absolutely stinking. And with so much quality,” McGregor wrote on Twitter. “This has never been seen before what I’m doing man. Please, Your nothing with out me. Respect, please. I’d slap you around handy. And Tony easy. I’d have sawed Tony in half. 2 ham ball heads. Respect the king.”
Ah come on bro I’m absolutely stinking. And with so much quality. This has never been seen before what I’m doing man. Please, Your nothing with out me. Respect, please. I’d slap you around handy. And Tony easy. I’d have sawed Tony in half. 2 ham ball heads.
Respect the king. https://t.co/41DMLdUIDn— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 11, 2022
We assume McGregor is saying he’s absolutely stinking rich, which he is after making more than $100 million off his fight with Floyd Mayweather in 2017. Not only did McGregor walk away with that bag, he also walked away with his reputation intact after a respectable performance against one of boxing’s legitimate G.O.A.T.s. We’ll see how Diaz does against someone at that level in boxing, or if he ends up fighting one of the Paul brothers instead.
Leading up to that interaction, McGregor was completely respectful of Diaz through all the drama surrounding UFC 279.
“Congrats Nate Diaz on making it to the end of his contractual obligations with the UFC, and as a bona fide superstar goer,” McGregor tweeted on Saturday morning. “An incredible feat. Fair play. Our trilogy will happen.”
Congrats Nate Diaz on making it to the end of his contractual obligations with the UFC, and as a bonafide superstar goer. An incredible feat. Fair play.
Our trilogy will happen.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 10, 2022
McGregor currently has just two fights left on his current UFC contract, so you know he’s watching Diaz closely. What Diaz makes in his first fight outside UFC could determine the course of negotiations when “The Notorious” sits down at the negotiating table with UFC brass. That, in turn, could change the ceiling on what stars are capable of being paid under UFC’s relatively stingy pay scale.
For complete UFC 279 results and coverage click here.