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.
Diaz slaps White
Diaz posts video to Instagram of him slapping White, saying.
Getting deals done today.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGQJYQVOPpo/
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nelson: Mcgregor can ‘walk through’ Diaz
Nelson says McGregor can learn from his losing bout with Diaz.
I think there were some technical mistakes in that fight that cost him the fight basically. I mean if you watch the first round and the beginning of the second, he was winning the fight, obviously, he was picking Diaz apart really. But there were a lot of shots that were kind of missing. He threw a lot more shots than he had to and I think maybe he rushed it a bit…I think if he takes his time and breaks him down, does what he does best, uses his speed a little bit better and maybe not concentrate on power as much, I think he will walk through Diaz.
Brown: McGregor can’t beat Diaz
Brown says McGregor cannot beat Diaz.
I thought Conor showed a lot of chinks in his armor when he lost to Nate Diaz. Not only in terms of his submissions, but the way that he gassed and kept his hands down and got punched, his defense, those are fundamental problems that when you have those fundamental problems, you are never going to beat a Diaz…You’re not going to beat a Diaz with your hands down walking forward throwing one big shot. You’re not going to beat a Diaz with one round of good cardio. You’re not going to beat a Diaz without solid submission defense. You add all those up, you’re going to lose to a Diaz every f-ing time cause that’s what those guys do…When you look at skill versus skill, there’s no reason not to believe Nate Diaz that beat him on 11 days notice isn’t going to beat him with a full training camp…The real fear is he comes back, loses to Diaz, has to go back down to 145 and defend his title. Now it’s a must win. You can’t have your biggest star losing three in a row.
https://soundcloud.com/greatmmadebate/matt-brown-talks-ufc-198-plus-conor-mcgregor-vs-the-ufc
Calls McGregor ‘whitebelt’
In response to McGregor’s twitter comments, Diaz tweets a single word:
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) May 2, 2016
Says he still wants to fight Diaz
In an Instagram post McGregor says he still wants to fight Diaz.
Nobody gives a f-ck about these other fights until this one is settled. Cut the bullshit. Run it back. #RealFight
https://www.instagram.com/p/BE3N7iTLzpX/
UFC 200 press conference
White introduces the fighters fro UFC 200. He talks about McGregor:
Listen, Conor’s going to fight again. He’s going to fight at UFC 201, 202, 203 – whatever the deal might be. We’ll see what’s next when that plays out. But (UFC) 200 is the fight everybody’s been looking to for a long time. It is what it is. The show’s going to roll on, and Conor will fight again.
UFC 200: McGregor-Diaz replaced with Cormier-Jones
UFC announces that Cormier and Jones will lead the ticket for UFC 200, a light heavyweight bout that replaces McGregor v. Diaz. Cormier and Jones were originally set to rematch at UFC 197, until Cormier had to pull out due to injury.
‘I’m going on vacation’
Diaz tweets that he is going on vacation.
Happy to announce that I'm going on vacation #gone #100 ✌🏼️
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) April 26, 2016
UFC 200 press conference
White introduces the fighters for UFC 200. McGregor is not present. Diaz:
I didn’t ask for that fight, but he asked for it. And if that ain’t gonna happen, I’m going on Vacation…He’s got a lot of catching up to do, so there ain’t no time for this [media] shit. I’ve dodging all this for years, so it’s all good. Let him do his thing, get his training on, and let him fight.
White:
Listen, I just don’t see how that’s fair. These people have come from all over the world. The fights still three months away, that’s why we do it so early so we try not to interfere with their lives. People want Conor to fight, so do the fans, so do the media, everybody..You think I don’t want Conor to fight? Of course I do. It’s not right, you can’t not show up for this stuff. [Reporter: So you’re ruling him out at this point?]. Yeah!
McGregor pulled from UFC 200
UFC President White says that McGregor has been pulled from UFC 200 because he had refused to fly to Las Vegas to help promote the event. He says UFC is working on scheduling another fight for Diaz, and will add another bout to UFC 200.
What’s happened is we pulled Conor McGregor from UFC 200 and we’re working on other fights right now. Conor did not want to come to Las Vegas and film the commercial or be a part of any of the marketing we have. He’s in Iceland training and that’s not possible… Is Conor McGregor retiring? Only he can answer that question…Obviously we still have, as far as I’m concerned, a good relationship with Conor. I respect Conor as a fighter and I like him as a person, but you can’t decide to not show up to these things. You have to do it.
Coach: Diaz will stop McGregor inside two rounds
Diaz’s boxing coach Richard Perez says that Diaz will beat McGregor.
I believe that Nate is going to tap him out or knock him out. I mean because once he gets him to the ground McGregor doesn’t stand a chance. I mean standing up either. Sure he goes out kicking and trying to be fast but Nate already knows what he can do and he’s going to be in better shape and a lot sharper. So yea, I think Nate will stop him inside two.
Diaz: McGregor’s brand won’t be hurt by defeat
Diaz says that even if McGregor is defeated by him, it won’t hurt McGregor’s brand.
I’m sure he’ll be all right when I beat him. I’m top of the food chain. I’ve been fighting top 10 competition for eight years. Losing to me is not so bad. You can lose to some lame ass or you can lose to a real f–king G fighter. I don’t think it will hurt him too much. He’ll be all right…I feel bad for Frankie Edgar, that’s my dude right there. I like him. He was supposed to fight Conor McGregor a long time ago. This was his fight, too, and he got f–cked around a little bit. I hope he gets what he wants in the future…I’ll do the fights but I’m not going to put in the weight cutting work for chump change. Now I’m getting paid so I’m like I’ll make weight…Fight’s coming, we’ll see what happens. I don’t make predictions, we’ll see what happens. I don’t care, it’s whatever. I just want to go do what I gotta do and get the show cracking.
Schilling: Diaz ‘humbled, humiliated’ McGregor
In an interview with MMA Underground Schilling talks about Diaz’s approach to fighting McGregor.
There is no way that any consummate professional is going to go out there and blow his wad in the first round – unless you’re Conor McGregor and you go out there and blow your wad in the first round…So, Nate’s game plan was to go out there, not get knocked-out, but not waste any energy, and pick up as the rounds went on, because you have to go five rounds. You look at Nick and Nate’s style of fighting – they don’t ever do that well in the first round. They set a pace and then they drown you in it and then by the third, fourth round, guys are shooting for takedowns because they can’t stand getting hit anymore.
On the upcoming UFC 200 fight:
It’s going to be the same fight. I think it’s so obvious the holes in Conor’s game, they were all over the place. I think the skillset that Nate has is far superior to Conor’s and Nate having a full training camp is just way different…if you’re in there with someone you look up to, and you’re intimidated by, and you’re scared of, and talking all this sh-t about, your adrenaline is going to get (expletive) really bad and you’re going to try and knock him out in the first round. And, you’re going to lose like it did the last time.
On McGregor’s “humble in victory and defeat” attitude:
No, he got humbled, and humiliated. There is a big difference between being humble, and being humbled. There’s a big difference.
Diaz: Real MMA fans knew I could beat McGregor
Diaz criticizes fake fans:
A lot of people like [Justin] Bieber, Drake and [former NFL star] Jerry Rice were saying all of these things. Anyone who is a real fan of the sport — and not just what is blasted over social media — knew I had a better chance of winning the fight. I have a lot of fights and they were making it out like I was a new guy getting a chance. But he [McGregor] was actually the guy getting the chance with a real fighter who has been in the game and is a real opponent.