Conor McGregor appears less than thrilled about Nate Diaz stepping into the boxing ring with Jake Paul this weekend. But he remains determined to settle the score with Diaz in their much-anticipated trilogy bout, win or lose against Paul.
Longtime fans still fondly recall Conor McGregor’s rapid ascent to stardom when he made his UFC debut in 2013. A 13-second knockout of José Aldo at UFC 194 earned him the featherweight title. Eager to achieve greater heights, McGregor aimed to secure the lightweight belt by challenging Rafael dos Anjos.
Fate intervened when dos Anjos suffered from a foot injury, leading to one of MMA’s most iconic rivalries between McGregor and Diaz.
McGregor faced defeat via submission in their initial encounter, but he bounced back with a majority decision victory in their immediate rematch. Now at 35 years old, McGregor shows interest in finally completing the trilogy as Diaz gears up for his boxing debut.
McGregor tweeted: “Regardless of that nonsense match me and Nate will be completing the trilogy. I am going to go grab that bmf belt right quick for us to compete for it in the trilogy.”
More than two years have passed since McGregor last entered the Octagon, when he suffered a leg injury against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. His presence as a coach on TUF Season 31 aimed to create excitement for his return against the opposing coach, Michael Chandler.
However, McGregor’s absence from the USADA testing pool has prevented a comeback bout from being scheduled. Furthermore, Justin Gaethje’s knockout victory over Poirier for the UFC’s BMF title at UFC 291 seems to have diminished McGregor’s interest in facing Chandler.
Combat sports enthusiasts understand the need to approach McGregor’s online statements with caution, as he has a history of provocative remarks. Nevertheless, it’s likely that Diaz will be questioned about the potential trilogy match with McGregor following his bout with Paul this Saturday in the boxing ring.