UFC star Nate Diaz has expressed his delight at scuppering the company’s reported plans to have Conor McGregor take on Georges St-Pierre at UFC 200.
Speaking on Chael Sonnen’s You’re Welcome podcast (h/t Josh Brady of Low Kick), Diaz, who beat McGregor via submission at UFC 196, was quizzed about the allegedly once-planned superfight. And it’d be safe to say the 30-year-old, who will face McGregor again at the summer showpiece, per the official UFC website, enjoyed derailing the company's plans:
Yeah I heard (they were planning on having Conor call out GSP) but I put a big old hole in that s--t. What did they think, that I’m some game that they can play? I can’t be f----d with, I been in the game too long. They wanted to have this big old GSP vs. McGregor bull---t, with Georges sat in the front row at UFC 196, I don’t even wanna hear about that s--t. Get the f--k outta here with that, what the f--k? I p----d off Conor McGregor, I pissed off GSP, but most of all I pissed off the UFC. Well guess what? LOL motherf-----s. Georges is full of s--t, he’s a bully, he was going to fight this little Irish featherweight guy? He would have held him down, that’s a freak show fight man.
Diaz certainly upset the odds earlier this month. McGregor may have been making his debut at welterweight, but the featherweight champion was still expected to be too quick for the American. Diaz’s power and precision saw him through, though, utilising his jiu-jitsu to choke out the Notorious in Round 2.
Here’s a look at the end of that fight, via BT Sport UFC:
Relive the crazy fight week between @TheNotoriousMMA and @NateDiaz209, culminating in #UFC196's stunning conclusion. https://t.co/R0YCk6ICey
— BT Sport UFC (@btsportufc) March 7, 2016
It was a win that paved the way for the UFC 200 rematch, where it’s alleged that the UFC had planned to pit McGregor against GSP had he beaten Diaz, per Jesse Holland of MMA Mania.
The Canadian welterweight icon has not been in action in professional MMA for a long time now, having last fought in 2013 at UFC 167 against Johny Hendricks. That night, he earned a controversial split-decision victory, making it 12 wins in a row in the promotion; it was his ninth title defence in succession before vacating the belt.
During his prolonged hiatus from the sport, speculation has raged as to whether the welterweight star will return. When asked about the prospect earlier this month, UFC President Dana White gave little away, per MMA Fighting’s Shaheen Al-Shatti:
White: GSP just wanted to come to the fights tonight. Have we been talking to GSP? Of course we have. But I have no idea if he's coming back
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) March 6, 2016
While some will be disappointed that St-Pierre now looks unlikely to come to fruition, Diaz made a big splash with his win, and plenty are excited about the rematch at UFC 200.
The man from Stockton, California, has long been a popular figure amongst fans due to his brash fighting style and uncompromising talk, and now that he has the pedigree to accompany these traits, he’s a fighter who befits the big slots on shows such as UFC 200.
As Bleacher Report’s Nick Akerman noted, it’s a bout that seems to make sense for McGregor at this juncture, too:
If McGregor loses at UFC 200, his new story is decided by winner of Edgar/Aldo. Dana knows what he’s doing, it’s win-win for Conor.
— Nick Akerman (@Nakerman) March 30, 2016
MMA is a sport in which the best-laid plans can so often go to waste. While the UFC may have been itching to announce McGregor-GSP—a bout that would have captured the imagination of so many—it would have been aware of the fact that shocks happen so often in this sport. No doubt White would have been making a succession of contingency plans.
McGregor-Diaz II is certainly not a bad consolation prize. There’s a lot at stake here for both fighters, and it will be fascinating to see how the brazen Irishman reacts following his first defeat in the UFC. Diaz, despite his win, will be the underdog for many once again and no doubt keen to play the role of spoiler for a second time this year.
