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Nate Diaz blasts UFC, says it has 'put him on the shelf'
Nate Diaz hasn’t competed in the UFC since his rematch with Conor McGregor at UFC 202 last August and he’s not happy about that. The man who owns the only victory over McGregor in the UFC and pushed the Irishman to the limit in the subsequent rematch believes that he’s being benched purposefully by the UFC.
“I know what this is: I’m being put on the shelf,” Diaz told the Los Angeles Times while attending the the Bellator event over the weekend. “That’s why I’m trying to get a boxing license.”
What’s interesting about Diaz’s claim is that he’s told a few different stories since losing to McGregor in what was one of the best fights of the year. Initially, he stated that he would bench himself for 10 months while waiting to complete the trilogy with McGregor and wouldn’t take another fight prior to that. Then, he stated he wouldn’t compete again unless he was paid no less than $20 million. He also threatened to depart from MMA competition to join Floyd Mayweather’s “Money Team” as a boxer.
UFC president Dana White countered via text message with the following:
“Nate said the only fight he wants is Conor … I haven’t heard a word from him [since August]. Usually when guys want a fight, they call.”
If Diaz is really sitting out while waiting for the UFC lightweight champion’s return, he’s going to have a long line to stand in. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will compete for the interim lightweight title at UFC 209 in March with the winner getting a shot at McGregor. However, if “The Notorious One” chooses, he could move up to welterweight in an effort to capture a third title in another weight class or reclaim the featherweight title that he was forced to relinquish at the end of 2016. And there’s always the looming – yet remote – possibility of a dream match with Floyd Mayweather.
If Diaz obtains a boxing license, he’ll likely have some hoops to jump through before he could ever compete in the ring. But whatever it is, it certainly seems to be complicated.
Even if McGregor isn’t in Diaz’s immediate future, the Stockton fighter contends that nobody else is willing to fight him.
“No one in MMA wants it,” he said. “No one says they want a big-deal fight against me. If someone wants to fight, then let’s make a big deal.”
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