Diaz walks from White meeting
A meeting between White and Diaz in Stockton, CA, ends with Diaz walking out angrily. Sources say the meeting, which started friendly, was to discuss terms for Diaz vs. McGregor, and that Diaz left because he was not happy with the financial arrangement. White:
Obviously I’m not going to disclose details of the deal, but let’s just say my trip to Stockton didn’t go well.
Diaz: McGregor-Mayweather talk cover up for an ‘ass whooping’
In an interview on MMA Hour, Diaz says the UFC is targeting the McGregor rematch for UFC 202. Diaz:
I’ll whoop both McGregor and Mayweather in the same night. Now they’re talking that Mayweather shit, it’s all a cover up. It’s all trying to hide the fact that he got his ass whooped and that they want to buy him more time to get better if we are going to fight. I think the Mayweather thing’s a publicity stunt…I’m the only one out of the three of us that will say I will whoop both of their asses in one night. Cause Conor can’t say that. Floyd definitely cannot say that. You want a real fight, put me with one of those boxers and I guarantee you I can beat them in boxing.
On fight negotiations with Dana White:
I said that was one of the biggest fights you’ve ever had on 10 days’ notice, and he’s the biggest draw that you’ve ever had and I just beat your biggest draw. So if you don’t mind, I would like to be compensated better than I was the last time or what they were trying to offer me.
White: McGregor ‘obsessed’ with fighting Diaz
In an interview with ESPN’s Sportscenter, White says that he is working on McGregor-Diaz matchup.
We’re working on what’s next for him. We’re trying to set up a fight right now. It’s been a little challenging. Obviously the fight he would love to do is the rematch with Nate Diaz. I’m trying to get the deal done…Conor is obsessed with this rematch. I don’t know why, but he is. It’s just his type of personality. He’s obsessed with it. He’s obsessed with fighting Diaz again – at 170 pounds. I don’t know if [the fight] will ever happen, but I’m trying.
White looking at other fights for McGregor
In an interview on FOX Sports 1’s The Herd, White says the UFC has begun looking at alternative opponents for McGregor’s next fight after unsuccessfully trying to reach a deal with Diaz.
It’s just madness. It’s just been tough. It’s been a tough go-through, so we’re looking at another fight for Conor right now and we’ll see how this thing comes together. But Conor is just so obsessed with Diaz at 170, it’s been crazy. The reality is that since that Conor McGregor fight — obviously when you win a fight of that magnitude, it has definitely rubbed off on Nate. People do want to see Nate fight. People do want to see this fight again, and I’m one of those guys who, I want to make the fight that people want to see, and I believe people do want to see this fight. But, people do want to see Conor McGregor vs. Frankie Edgar or Jose Aldo again too. I’m sure they would want to see him fight Rafael dos Anjos at 155 for that title, so there’s a lot of fights out there for Conor, if we can’t get this Nate fight done.
Report: McGregor-Diaz for UFC 202 on Aug 20
MMA Fighting reports that a rematch between McGregor and Diaz is close to being finalized for UFC 202 on Aug. 20 in Las Vegas.
Diaz slaps White
Diaz posts video to Instagram of him slapping White, saying.
Getting deals done today.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGQJYQVOPpo/
McGregor-Diaz confirmed for UFC 202
UFC confirms McGregor will fight Diaz in UFC 202 in Las Vegas on August 20. McGregor says ESPN.com he wants the rematch to take place at 170 pounds again so that nothing would be different from their first fight.
What kind of fighter would I be if I said, ‘Hey, I didn’t get you at 170, let me try to get you at 155. I’ll make my adjustments. I ate up to the weight. This time, I won’t do that.
Rogan: UFC right to rematch McGregor-Diaz
Rogan says that the UFC made the right decision in rematching McGregor with Diaz.
The emperor has been stripped down, okay? So now, he’s been exposed, someone has beaten him. So here’s the thing, what do you now? Do you want to make money? Because if you want to make money, you make the biggest fight you can right now while he’s been exposed. And the biggest fight for sure is (a rematch with Diaz). And when I say exposed, I don’t mean he’s not talented. I mean exposed meaning he’s a human and that he can lose. And that happens with every fighter. They lose and once they lose people go ‘oh, you can be beat. So, this is not an invulnerable perfect fighter who is unbelievable durable who can take punishment like no man. We’re talking about a guy who got dinged up (and) shot for a sh***y wide open takedown, got taken down, got demolished on the ground and got choked unconscious – quickly afterwards. But, you’ve got to put him in against Nate again. Because, that’s the big money rematch and if this guy turns out to be a guy who is going to win some and lose some and the beginning of his career he’s the unbeatable and wild Celtic warrior character, uhhhh, that’s all gone.
Cerrone wants to fight Diaz
Despite trading insults with McGregor in the past, Cerrone says that he would rather fight Diaz.
I’d rather fighter Diaz over Conor. Everyone talks about that as the money fight, but people don’t understand. They’re like, ‘If you get that fight, that’s the money fight.’ [But] I’m under contract. I get paid the same whether I fight Patrick Cote or I fight Conor. He might make more money because he got pay-per-view. I didn’t do a good job promoting myself and making myself big and get pay-per-view money. I get the same $80,000 to fight anybody.
McGregor-Diaz presser set for July 7
UFC announces the UFC 202 McGregor-Diaz press conference will be on July 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The #UFC202 Presser is coming during @UFCFightWeek! @NateDiaz209 | @TheNotoriousMMA | After #UFC200 Open Workouts!!! pic.twitter.com/C98pcNNRjK
— UFC (@ufc) June 21, 2016
Dos Anjos: McGregor can’t beat Diaz
In an interview with TMZ, Dos Anjos says McGregor cannot beat Diaz.
It’s hard to advise him, because Nate Diaz was on vacation when he got a call to fight him. And on less than 10 days’ notice he still beat him — now he’s got a full fight camp. [Conor can win] if he can catch him with the right shot, but Nate can take a lot of shots, especially at 170 pounds. Nate Diaz is a 55er, he’s a lightweight. But now he’s fighting at 170 — I don’t know why. But I don’t see Conor winning this fight, for sure.
Alvarez: McGregor beat himself with overconfindence
Alvarez says that McGregor wasn’t beaten by Diaz.
Diaz didn’t beat him that night. Conor beat himself, his overconfidence. Moving up in weight with that overconfidence, that’s what made him lose. But if he takes things seriously, I think it will be a different fight.
Kavanagh: McGregor ready for Diaz, not motivated by money
Kavanagh says McGregor is better prepared to fight Diaz than previously, with training taking place every lunchtime in his gym SBG Concorde before specialist cardio training in the evening. Specialist fighters from Finland, New York and Britain had been brought in to prepare McGregor to counter Diaz’s fighting style.
Nothing will feel new on the night. He will have experienced all positions and everything that comes with fighting someone of that build and style…If it was about money, he would quit doing this now and do one of the ten film roles he has been offered. If his motivation was his bank balance, it would be ridiculous to keep doing this, as his training is so hard. I wouldn’t bother training somebody whose number one motivation was money.
UFC 202 Undercard announcements
UFC makes two announcements regarding UFC 200, which features McGregor-Diaz as the main event. In the welterweight class, Condit will return after a title loss to face Maia in a 170-pound fight. Johnson and Teixeira will fight in the light heavyweight class,
UFC 202 Tickets On-Sale press conference
White, McGregor and Diaz appear at the UFC 202 Tickets On-Sale Press Conference.
Promises trilogy fight with Diaz
McGregor says that if he wins against Diaz, he will fight him a third time.
I’ll beat Nate, get that win back, dominate my division again, and then we’ll retalk for the trilogy fight with Nate. I believe this will be a trilogy fight.
McGregor, Diaz face off
McGregor and Diaz face off after the Tickets On-Sale Press Conference. McGregor asks White to let them go face-to-face, but White keeps them apart. McGregor:
Let’s go face to face. I wanna see his eyes.
McGregor – Diaz trailer 2
UFC releases the second trailer, titled Anytime. Any Weight. Anywhere. for the UFC 202 fight between McGregor and Diaz.
Alvarez: UFC 202 a ‘bullshit freakshow’
In an interview with MMA Hour, Alvarez says the Diaz-McGregor UFC 202 fight is a ‘freakshow’.
I’ll be there with a bull horn ringside to that freakshow. The least-best lightweights in the division and they are the highest paid. It’s bullshit. These guys are making the highest dollars, they are both considered lightweights, I guess. They are making the highest dollars of all of us and you have guys like Rafael dos Anjos, Donald Cerrone, myself, like real top-level guys who are just kind of getting by. These two guys need to get taken out and taken out viciously so we can get some of that money.
Anytime. Any Weight. Anytime trailer
UFC releases a trailer for McGregor-Diaz UFC 202.
It goes DOWN on Aug. 20 … AGAIN!! @NateDiaz209 vs @TheNotoriousMMA 2 – Any time. Any weight. Any where. https://t.co/hvGul6E1Fu
— UFC (@ufc) July 18, 2016