Andrew Ravens
Nate Diaz has made clear that if he returns to the UFC, it will be on his terms.
Speaking on the This Past Weekend podcast ahead of his May 16 MMA return against Mike Perry on the Most Valuable Promotions card headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano, Diaz revealed that the UFC was pushing for a trilogy fight with Conor McGregor, an offer he turned down.
“For instance, I think that if I went back to UFC, they want me to fight Conor McGregor right now,” Diaz said. “For me, Conor McGregor just — pull up his record, do we got his record? I know this, but I’m thinking about it, I’m like, Conor McGregor just f***ing lost to Poirier. He got knocked out on his ass.
“So Poirier knocks his a** out, and then he breaks his leg, which is horrible because Poirier’s a sorry little bitch. I’m like, he knocks him out, and then he gets his leg broken, and it’s like, ‘F***, that’s f***ing horrible.’ We’re adversaries, but I’m like, ‘Bro, you broke your whole s***.’ I don’t wish that on anybody. Then I’m like, I hope he comes back and does good.”
Diaz and McGregor had one of the most memorable two-fight series in UFC history in 2016. Diaz handed McGregor his first-ever UFC loss at UFC 196 before dropping the rematch via majority decision at UFC 202. A third fight has been discussed for nearly a decade, but has never materialized. McGregor has not competed since suffering a broken leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
Nate Diaz Wants the BMF Title and Charles Oliveira
Rather than revisit that rivalry right now, Diaz has his sights set on Charles Oliveira and the BMF title. Diaz was involved in the inaugural BMF championship fight in 2019, losing to Jorge Masvidal. The belt has since been contested in various matchups, most recently when Oliveira defeated Max Holloway to claim it. Diaz takes issue with Oliveira carrying what he considers his title.
“In the meantime, I’m doing whatever I’m doing, and then when McGregor is ready to come back now, and he’s motivated and doing what he’s got to do, and I’m like, ‘OK, I want to fight motherf***ing BMF motherf***er who’s claiming my belt that’s running all around,'” Diaz said.
“Charles Oliveira just won the fight. You’re rocking my belt now, and you’re running around like you’re the baddest motherf***er, so that’s where I’m like, what’s popping with the UFC, let’s link up and get this fight popping. I go back to talk to them about it, and they’re all ready for me to come back and fight Conor. I’m like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, listen to what I’m talking about.'”
Diaz was equally direct about why he has no interest in being the opponent McGregor returns to face. “I want to fight the best of the best when they are the best of the best. Conor’s great, but I’m not trying to go kill off Conor when he’s on his last dying f***ing leg, literally,” he said.
“I’m not trying to be the ending to some f—er’s story like that. We ain’t friends, we ain’t none of that, but I ain’t trying to finish this dude off. That’s what I plan on doing if we’re fighting.
Why Diaz Chose Mike Perry Over the UFC
The door to a McGregor trilogy is not closed permanently. Diaz made it clear he sees that fight happening eventually, but only when both men are on the rise, not when one of them is on the way out. In the meantime, the Perry fight represented a more appealing opportunity.
“The UFC is like, ‘OK, we want you to come back, and maybe later we’ll do that,'” Diaz said. “I’m like, OK, well, you know who’s doing a good job? Close to the same amount offer for Mike Perry, who’s the f***ing most violent motherf***er around right now.
Doing things, taking over the business, running s***, doing his own promotion. I’m a lot more enthusiastic to get up and run and get ready to train for this motherf—er who’s going to knock me out, or I’m going to knock his ass out, and we’re going to take who’s the bigger dog.”
Diaz also distanced himself from MVP as a promotional entity, framing his May 16 appearance as a Netflix fight under his own Real Fight Inc. banner rather than a commitment to the promotion itself. His longer-term plans include returning to the UFC on his own terms and hunting Jake Paul.
“Me and Conor will fight again when the time is right, and it’s to fight, but it’s going to be when we’re both on the uprising,” Diaz said. “Not when someone’s dying out. I’m nobody’s comeback story either.”
