UFC superstar Conor McGregor took aim at Nate and Nick Diaz days after ESPN’s Ariel Helwani reported that Nick was planning a comeback for 2021. “Notorious” has a long-standing rivalry with the Diaz brothers, fighting Nate twice with volatile buildups to the matches.
On Sunday, Helwani reported that Nick had just completed a 14-week diet and training routine and he performed a test weight cut, weighing between 165 to 175 pounds. Helwani wrote that Nick did the test weight cut because “he is keeping a close eye on the big welterweight fights coming up. He is ‘100%’ planning on fighting again, per [Nick’s manager Kevin] Mubenga, and is targeting an early 2021 return.”
Multiple fighters have called out Nick since the news, including top middleweight Darren Till and UFC commentator Dan Hardy. And on Tuesday, McGregor chimed in as well. Notorious commented on a tweet from BT Sport of a picture Nate shared of himself and his brother.
McGregor wrote, “Line them up.” See below:
@btsportufc Line them up
Should Nick, 37, return to the Octagon next year, he will be fighting for the first time since his bout with Anderson Silva at UFC 183 in January 2015. Nick has a professional MMA record of 26-9 with two no contests, and though he is coming off two losses and one no contest, he has had a storied career.
He started fighting professionally in 2001 and earned himself the Strikeforce welterweight belt in 2010, defending it three times before the UFC absorbed the promotion. He also fought for the UFC interim and undisputed welterweight titles.
Notorious Fighting Either Diaz Brother Would Likely Be Massive Business for the UFC
A fight with McGregor vs. any Diaz brother is highly likely to do great business for the UFC. A trilogy fight between Nate and Notorious has been called for since their UFC 202 bout in August 2016. Both fighters are 1-1 against each other and a third fight seems necessary to finally settle the score.
On the other end, McGregor fighting Nick is a fresh matchup for the Irishman but with a lot of the same beef. Nick would step in as Nate’s older brother, creating a compelling storyline to sell the PPV.
Of course, Notorious has said that he is retired, but the UFC superstar has continued to create fight speculation.
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Nate Is Currently Linked to a Rematch With Jorge Masvidal for the ‘BMF’ Belt
According to multiple reports, Nate is currently in talks with the UFC to take on Jorge Masvidal in either December of this year or January 2021. The fight would be a rematch as they competed against each other in November 2019 during UFC 244 for the “Baddest Motherf*****” belt.
Nate lost the fight by doctor’s stoppage between the third and fourth rounds. If the two fought again, the “BMF” title would be up for grabs.
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Conor McGregor Responds to Nick Diaz’s Potential UFC Return