Manager: Nate Diaz should fight Tony Ferguson for opportunity to face Conor McGregor

While Conor McGregor continues to hunt down a potential fight with Floyd Mayweather, Nate Diaz appears to be stuck in a holding pattern when it comes to his next fight.

After splitting a pair of fights with McGregor, Diaz has been holding out for an opportunity to complete the trilogy. The only problem is that it is anybody’s guess if or when the McGregor-Mayweather fight would take place.

Aside from that fight, there’s other business for the UFC lightweight champion to handle back in the Octagon. Whether that be an opportunity for a third world title in as many weight classes or a title defense against the likes of Tony Ferguson or Khabib Nurmagomedov, the options appear to supersede the need to complete the McGregor-Diaz trilogy.

However, according to Ferguson’s manager, there’s a way to expedite a third installment of their storied rivalry. Manager Audie Attar appeared on “The MMA Hour” to explain how Diaz could put himself in prime position for a McGregor fight. And that’s by squaring off with his fighter.

“The Nate Diaz fight interests him,” Attar said. “If you want Conor to be excited about you, you better go in there and fight if you want to fight him in the future. If this thing happens with Floyd, you got to get Conor excited to get back in there with you. So I think from an opportunity standpoint, Nate would be foolish not to consider taking Tony on for the interim title fight.”

Ferguson was supposed to face Nurmagomedov at UFC 209 for the interim featherweight title and the right to face McGregor next. However, the fight was cancelled the day before it was supposed to happen when Nurmagomedov was unable to weigh in due to a medical condition. With Ferguson stuck on the sidelines, a fight with Diaz appears to be the most profitable, as well as something that could ensure that the winner get a crack at McGregor whenever this ongoing saga with Mayweather ends.

As for Diaz, he hasn’t been interested in fighting anybody but McGregor. However, a fight with Ferguson could be tempting considering that it may be the only way for Diaz to ensure that he’s next once the Irishman’s boxing dreams have been fulfilled or dashed.