Nate Diaz pours cold water on Conor McGregor trilogy vowing ‘I’m interested in winners’
NATE DIAZ claims he has no interest in a trilogy bout against arch rival Conor McGregor, insisting he's only "interested in winners”.
The pair have been engaged in one of the greatest UFC rivalries of all time after their brace of fights in 2016 – with the score tied one apiece.
After McGregor, 30, avenged his March 2016 submission loss with a points victory five months later, the Irish star would go onto win the UFC lightweight title against Eddie Alvarez – and then box Floyd Mayweather.
Diaz, 33, has not fought since he was outpointed by McGregor at UFC 202 in August 2016 – while The Notorious lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov last year following his unsuccessful boxing debut against Mayweather.
After Diaz announced he will return to the cage after three years out to face welterweight Anthony Pettis at UFC 141 – he told ESPN a McGregor trilogy is not in his plans.
Diaz said: “No, I’m not interested in it at all, I’m interested in winners. He lost his last fight, and I won my last fight.
“You think I’m trying to fight someone who just got his ass beat all over the place? I’m a black belt in jiu-jitsu, that s**t wouldn’t happen to me. Real jiu-jitsu, Gracie jiu-jitsu.
“Conor’s ass was really disappointing to me, because what happened was, like I said, I didn’t lose that fight (at UFC 202). And then they gave him the easy Eddie Alvarez fight, and then he won the title.
“So I beat him after he won the 145 title and before he won the 155 title, and then he fought Floyd Mayweather. And they’re just dissing me saying I’m turning down fights.”
SLAPPING KHABIB
Diaz has been vocal about the lack of opportunities he has been offered while McGregor has gone onto become a two-weight champion and again challenge for the lightweight belt since UFC 202.
After McGregor was beaten by Nurmagomedov at UFC 229, Diaz wanted to target a title fight against the Russian.
Nurmagomedov has history with the Stockton fan-favourite after they clashed at an MMA show in 2015 where Diaz claims he “slapped” the unbeaten Russian star.
Diaz suggests Nurmagomedov turned down a fight against him leaving the 33-year-old to goad the champion for avoiding the match despite being “slapped”.
He added: “Three years went by and (the UFC) start expecting I’m gonna start screaming for Conor as soon as he loses? Nah, dude, I won that last fight. I’ll fight Khabib.
“Then Khabib is playing like I have to win something to get to him. I’m like what are you talking about, dude? You got to win to get to me. I slapped you.
"So that’s my thoughts on that, that’s how I feel, he finished.
"I don’t care what people think – if someone slaps me, that’s gonna be my first kill. That’s the person I’m coming for and nobody else.”
Source: Read Full Article