Tag: Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz Rematch

Nate Diaz Reveals Why He Turned Down Tony Ferguson Fight

UFC fan favorite Nate Diaz was spitting seething venom on a variety of topics during a special episode of “The MMA Hour” earlier today. Diaz predictably aimed much of his attack at arch rival Conor McGregor, whose rumored boxing match with Diaz believes he should be involved in. And with no suitable fight on the table

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UFC fan favorite Nate Diaz was spitting seething venom on a variety of topics during a special episode of “The MMA Hour” earlier today.

Diaz predictably aimed much of his attack at arch rival Conor McGregor, whose rumored boxing match with Diaz believes he should be involved in. And with no suitable fight on the table in his opinion, Diaz has no problem taking the rest of the year off as he awaits the most lucrative fight possible.

The Stockton superstar said he hasn’t talked to Dana White much, but apparently he has at least enough to receive a fight offer he originally accepted but turned down after some time to think it out:

“Yeah, I have — for July 8th. I wasn’t supposed to say that. And I gladly accepted it, and then it was gladly rejected because of circumstances. Sure, I will fight him, but under these circumstances, you know what I’m sayin’? Then I was ignored and the rumors went on. So I said, ‘why are the rumors still going if it’s not popping?’ And then I thought about it. Why am I going to do Conor McGregor’s fuckin’ work for him? No, fight each other motherfucker, and then you get a shot at the golden child right here, motherfucker. What are you going to do? You’re going to take time off to make $100 million to fight Mayweather and I’m going to do your dirty work for you?”

Photo Credit – Mark J. Rebilas for USA TODAY Sports

According to Diaz, he shouldn’t be made to fight “El Cucuy,” as that sending the surging contender down the ranks should be up to the lightweight champion whom Diaz submitted at March 2016’s UFC 196. So Diaz proclaimed that while he has no hard feelings towards Ferguson, he cited the most likely true dynamic that fans would be tuning in to watch him compete rather than Ferguson:

“They’re not stepping on my shoes without getting a bitch slap. I’m not mad at you Tony, but at the same time, you’re not motivating me. In this game it’s all about the money motherfucker. If it’s not about the money then what the fuck are you doing it for? I want my piece. They’re tuning in to watch me, not you, and that’s your fault.”

The proposition of Diaz vs. Ferguson arose when Audie Attar, McGregor and Ferguson’s shared manager, suggested Diaz should ‘earn’ a third fight with McGregor by defeating Ferguson. Diaz thinks this is a bit of playing one of his fighters against the other, something he doesn’t trust and does not enlist a manager because of:

“I ain’t got no manager. I represent myself. I got my homeboys around me. I don’t need no phony fucks around. Tony, Conor, Khabib and their manager, they’re all on the same team. How can you trust somebody that work with the enemy? I’m about this war lifestyle. I’m taking a year off with my brother.”

Diaz also said he wouldn’t engage in the current trend of ‘money fights,’ because he is his own ‘money fight’ by himself:

“I ain’t asking for no money fights because I am the money fight.”

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Nate Diaz Details Phone Call With Floyd Mayweather While High

Nate Diaz set the MMA world ablaze (pun intended) during a slow week for the sport during a special episode of “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani earlier today, and no topic was safe. He laid out his plans to take the rest of 2017 off without a proper offer from his bosses, but Diaz

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Nate Diaz set the MMA world ablaze (pun intended) during a slow week for the sport during a special episode of “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani earlier today, and no topic was safe.

He laid out his plans to take the rest of 2017 off without a proper offer from his bosses, but Diaz didn’t stop there. Far from it, actually. With his sights set on Conor McGregor and even his potential boxing opponent Floyd Mayweather, the polarizing fan favorite detailed a phone conversation he had with “Money” right after he just got done enjoying some of his favorite herbs, a conversation McGregor later used to call Diaz a “bitch.”

However, Nate set the record straight to Helwani:

“So Floyd Mayweather randomly calls me, I just smoked a joint. I’m like, ‘What the fuck? This is fuckin’…odd.’ You know, I’m like, ‘What up?’ And I even thought to myself, ‘He thinks he’s a fuckin’ genius. I look, and I’m talking to Mayweather, and I never talked to Mayweather before, I’m like, ‘What up?’ And I was thinking like, ‘You know what? Fuck this dude, he’s gonna fight with McGregor and make all this money?’ Fuck that, I don’t mean to be a hater, but fuck that. I wanted to fight these motherfuckers. I was thinking about being like, ‘Fuck you, motherfucker, what the fuck you calling me for?’ and I was thinking about hangin’ up quick. But then when I was talking to him, I was like, ‘That’s Floyd Mayweather, I have respect for the man, you know what I’m sayin’? I fuckin’ am a martial artist; that’s guy’s the best at what he does and has been doin’ it for years.”

Diaz then said he would beat McGregor in a boxing match, and that “The Notorious” calling out a smaller fighter in Mayweather wasn’t even a legit challenge:

“Either way, I woulda whipped your ass in a boxing match, McGregor, but Mayweather’s gonna fight you. Whatever, I got winner in a boxing match or a fight. And you’re not even being that challenging. Fight a heavyweight fool, five-five, a boxer, heavyweight division, I’ll whoop his ass in mixed martial arts, how about that? That’s a challenge, that’s something people should want to see. What you wanna see, I’m not gonna talk shit to no little-ass 147-pound Mayweather; I don’t even fight at that weight.”

Diaz was then asked if he had any resentment to the fact that the UFC was trying to make that fight happen, as he had long been the face of boxing in MMA. Diaz revealed that boxing promotions had tried to buy out his contract from the UFC in years past, but they never let anything happen:

“Years ago, boxing promotions were trying to buy my contract out from the UFC. And UFC wouldn’t let me out, and they always came in under the radar.”

But even if Diaz sounds bitter about the whole thing, he believes it will all work out in his favor. He’s sick of all the hype about McGregor vs. Mayweather, and wants to see the UFC actually make the fight happen with it being the only major attraction in a barren year for the UFC.

No matter who wins, he says, things will look good for a huge potential fight with him in the future:

“I already said it, I’m calling their bluff. Can we pick up the place please? I thought it was going to, but now everybody’s died down and shut up. Every week they were talking shit back and forth. It’s all a fuckin’ hype game, they’re building each other up and UFC’s in on it too. Bring boxing back alive, bring MMA alive; it’s the only thing going on. It’s only cause it’s the only thing going on and they’re selling it as that.

“Mayweather’s coming back relevant, McGregor’s staying relevant, and the boxers are all known and the UFC sees that, and now everybody’s like, “Oh, this is the biggest thing.” So it was good for everybody to happen, but now that it’s time to happen, where’s it at? I call they bluff, make the fight happen. Let’s see it the fuck happen, because in the end, I’m the winner in the whole thing anyway.

“If McGregor fuckin’ wins, then Mayweather just got beat – the best boxer right now – just got beat by the guy I beat the fuck out of. That’s good for me. And if Mayweather knocks his ass out, it’s like, who gives a fuck? I already whipped his ass anyway; now fight a real G? You know what I’m saying? Fight the real shit like I said. And if you come back to MMA, fight Ferguson; then you can get a shot at the golden ticket. You’re the bitch. That’s why I’m saying he’s the bitch.”

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Nate Diaz Doesn’t Have Good News About The Rest Of 2017

With the first four months devoid of fights that drive fans’ interest, the collective MMA world was wishing Nate Diaz would finally reveal a blockbuster return when he spoke to Ariel Helwani on a special episode of “The MMA Hour” today. But the opposite is unfortunately true, as Diaz revealed he hasn’t spoken much with

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With the first four months devoid of fights that drive fans’ interest, the collective MMA world was wishing Nate Diaz would finally reveal a blockbuster return when he spoke to Ariel Helwani on a special episode of “The MMA Hour” today.

But the opposite is unfortunately true, as Diaz revealed he hasn’t spoken much with UFC President Dana White nor the new owners at WME-IMG, so rumors of him facing Tony Ferguson for an interim lightweight title while Conor McGregor chases a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather are just that – rumors:

“Dana White, we haven’t talked too much. That’s why I’m saying; I wonder what’s their deal, and what they wanna do. I’m hearing rumors and I feel a lot of pressure, people always like tell me this. I’m fighting Ferguson, and I’m doing this, and Conor’s sitting out, and Conor’s manager sitting there saying I need to impress someone. I’m like, what the fuck? You guys need to fight each other and impress me. The real gold’s right here. It’s funny to me how Conor McGregor’s manager says I need to light a fire under McGregor’s ass to get a third fight. The real champ is right here. They can light a fire under my ass.

The younger Diaz brother previously stated he would only return for a trilogy match with McGregor, a bout he wants $20 million to participate in. With no concrete plans – or even preliminary discussions – to return to the octagon, Diaz expressed his anger at McGregor’s attempt to fight Mayweather, citing his belief that everyone seems to have forgotten he submitted the Irishman in their first meeting at March 2016’s UFC 196:

“Conor is a fucking bitch. He got choked. If Floyd beats Conor who cares, I already beat his ass. Everybody seems to have forgot what happened. I don’t even want a third fight. Fuck Conor. He can go fuck himself. I don’t owe anybody any favors. I’d like to be treated with a little bit more respect.“

Diaz then stated his intention to sit out for the rest of 2017 without an offer on the table. Even if you think he has to fight to make money, he said he absolutely does not. With a whole host of lucrative opportunities available in the commercial cannabis industry, Diaz said the weed world is simply throwing cash at him, showing a jar of Kush to Helwani:

“In one year I got the two biggest selling pay-per-views in UFC history. I’m not going to die off. The cannabis industry is throwing money at me.”

Diaz was reportedly offered a fight with former champion Eddie Alvarez at next week’s UFC 211, but actually took offense to the offer, which he insisted Alvarez turned down on the first place based on the onetime Bellator champion’s performance against a man he submitted earlier last year:

“They called me about the Eddie Alvarez fight. Eddie Alvarez had his chance. Eddie’s ass turned it down. Do you want the Eddie Alvarez fight? How dare you? You just got melted by the guy I beat up.”

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Live: Watch Nate Diaz’s Special Interview With Ariel Helwani

Fan favorite lightweight Nate Diaz has been out of action since his thrilling five-round majority decision loss to rival Conor McGregor at last August’s UFC 202. The enigmatic Stockton slugger has largely stayed out of the public eye since aside from demanding he would only fight McGregor in a trilogy bout, even demanding a $20

The post Live: Watch Nate Diaz’s Special Interview With Ariel Helwani appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Fan favorite lightweight Nate Diaz has been out of action since his thrilling five-round majority decision loss to rival Conor McGregor at last August’s UFC 202.

The enigmatic Stockton slugger has largely stayed out of the public eye since aside from demanding he would only fight McGregor in a trilogy bout, even demanding a $20 million fee to do so at one point. He also reportedly turned down a fight with former 155-pound champ Eddie Alvarez at next week’s (Sat., May 13, 2017) UFC 211 from Dallas, prompting many to speculate when – or even if – the younger Diaz brother will return to the octagon.

McGregor’s manager, who also manages top-ranked UFC lightweight contender Tony Ferguson, thinks Diaz needs to ‘earn’ a rematch with McGregor by fighting and defeating ‘El Cucuy’ while the Irish champion is off pursuing a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

It’s created quite the messy set of circumstances, one that MMA fans hope Diaz can sort out during his appearance on a special episode of “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani today. Watch the video courtesy of MMA Fighting’s official YouTube page starting live at 4 p.m. ET:

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Nate Diaz Has Punishment Reduced For UFC 202 McGregor Melee

Just like his rival Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz just received some good news regarding his bottle-throwing scene prior to their rematch at UFC 202. In an outcome similar to McGregor’s re-hearing, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) announced that Diaz would have both his fine and his suspension for the incident reduced to $15,000 and 15 hours

The post Nate Diaz Has Punishment Reduced For UFC 202 McGregor Melee appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Just like his rival Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz just received some good news regarding his bottle-throwing scene prior to their rematch at UFC 202.

In an outcome similar to McGregor’s re-hearing, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) announced that Diaz would have both his fine and his suspension for the incident reduced to $15,000 and 15 hours of community service.

Diaz was initially dealt a $50,000 fine and 50 hours of community service. He paid the fine and is technically eligible to return to fighting, having until the end of the year to complete his community service. Yet the only bout Diaz has repeatedly stated he’d come back for is a lucrative third match-up with McGregor. With ‘The Notorious’ embroiled in complicated negotiations for his potential boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, that doesn’t appear to be a clear possibility for the immediate future.

According to MMAJunkie.com, Diaz has not officially signed the reduced punishment agreement, but his attorney Sam Awad stated they would contact NSAC Executive Director Bob Bennet and sign the deal.

With this outcome an expected one after McGregor had his punishment greatly reduced, MMA fans can only wonder if and when the super-popular Diaz will return to the octagon.

But hey, at least one top contender wants to fight.

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Conor McGregor’s Coach: Khabib Can Be Hit, May Not Come Back

With newly-crowned dual-weight champion Conor McGregor reportedly out until May as he welcomes his first child into the world, all of MMA will have a few months to speculate over just whom “The Notorious” will fight next. Of course the usual suspects of longtime rival Nate Diaz and welterweight champion Tyron Woodley continue to appear

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With newly-crowned dual-weight champion Conor McGregor reportedly out until May as he welcomes his first child into the world, all of MMA will have a few months to speculate over just whom “The Notorious” will fight next.

Of course the usual suspects of longtime rival Nate Diaz and welterweight champion Tyron Woodley continue to appear in press clippings. That’s the fight that McGregor’s longtime striking coach Owen Roddy said he wants for his star pupil during an appearance on this week’s “The MMA Hour” (transcribed by MMA Mania):

“For me? Go up and go for three belts … maybe Woodley,” Roddy said. “But, [doing] Diaz again as well is another great one, because I think it’s what fans would want to see. They want to see something special again. [Doing] The Diaz fight again is special. The Woodley fight is special.”

But even with two guaranteed monumental bouts against Diaz and Woodley in the works, there is still the looming specter of undefeated Russian wrestler Khabib Nurmagomedov, who last seen brutally dismantling Michael Johnson at November 12’s UFC 205 – the card where McGregor halted Eddie Alvarez to make history.

“The Eagle,” his coach, his teammates, and even a retired MMA legend have been spouting off that McGregor is ducking Nurmagomedov, but Roddy gave his own perspective from a respectful angle of thoughtful fight analysis before questioning if the fight was big enough for “The Notorious”:

“You can’t really doubt Khabib at this stage now. “He’s a phenomenal grappler — a phenomenal wrestler — but I don’t know whether the excitement is there, you know? Obviously, for Conor, it’s about the pay-per-views … about the money. Whether Khabib will hit the pay-per-views for him, I don’t know, but he’s definitely there. He poses a different threat, so it would be good to try and work out the strikes that are going to land on him.

If the UFC’s biggest superstar is to finally sign on to fight Nurmagomedov, Roddy focused on the belief that aside from his world-class wrestling, “The Eagle” can be hit, as evident by his two most recent performances since returning from a long layoff due to injury:

“He can be hit as well, I will say that,” Roddy continued. “He got hit a bit [against Darrell Horcher] and the same again [against Michael Johnson]. I believe that if you give Conor a chance to land once, I don’t know whether people can come back from that. But, it would be definitely an interesting fight. They’re the three names I suppose: Khabib, Woodley — because it would be just insane — can you imagine the excitement of that? That would be crazy. And then, obviously, you can’t argue with the Nate fight again.”

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