Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor has extended an invitation to his rival Nate Diaz, encouraging him to contemplate a comeback to the promotion for a highly anticipated trilogy bout.
McGregor was once the undisputed champion in both the lightweight and featherweight divisions of the UFC.
Now, he has been absent from the Octagon since a fateful encounter with former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier. The match resulted in a severe fracture of his left tibia and fibula in July 2021.
In a memorable exit from the Octagon, Diaz secured a remarkable fourth-round guillotine choke submission victory over former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson. The two headlined the UFC 279 event in September of previous year.
Making a transition to professional boxing in the past month in Texas, Diaz faced off against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. Despite putting up a valiant effort, Diaz succumbed to a unanimous decision loss. However, this hinted at the possibility of a future return to the UFC.
In an interview with All Out Fighting, McGregor expressed his desire to see Diaz back in the MMA arena. McGregor emphasized a debt owed to Diaz, stating: “It was not great, not great. I’d like to see him back in MMA. You know, I owe him a fight – I owe Nate a fight. So, I’ve got to obligate that. He gave me the rematch, I got the better of him, and I owe him the trilogy for sure.”
While competing in the Octagon, McGregor twice faced TUF winner Nate Diaz. The first time in 2016, the latter handed McGregor a surprising submission loss which ended his spotless run in the promotion. The second time in August of the same year, McGregor defeated Diaz by a narrow majority decision.
If the match were to take place in the Octagon, it would inedeed be a huge event for MMA fans.