While the hottest rivalry in the UFC in recent times may have been that of Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz, the latter has proven that the MMA fraternity comes first
Diaz’s last appearance inside the octagon was against McGregor in August 2016, in a war which is widely regarded as one of the best fights ever witnessed in the promotion.
That rematch would arguably not have happened unless Diaz beat the Irishman in their first encounter five months earlier. The Stockton native famously finished McGregor by rear-naked choke at UFC 196 in March 2016 following a bloody welterweight battle in Las Vegas.
Diaz recently spoke to TMZ about the upcoming “Money Fight” between Mayweather & McGregor, defending the Dubliner from the perspective of some in the boxing community who doubt his place in the sport:
“Boxers are clowns sometimes now,” Diaz said (h/t Mike Heck of FanSided). “I’m never taking the MMA fighters over the boxer’s side when it comes to punching and s–t, but I’m like, don’t be talking s–t. [They say MMA fighters] ‘would get embarrassed, it’s ridiculous’ yeah, but we’re talking real fighting now you one-dimensional boxing f—s. This is real life s–t, you’ll get embarrassed.”
“And now all the boxers are criticizing Conor like ‘Conor will get embarrassed’, but that’s a real arrogant thing to say,” he said. “Wanna know something that’s even more embarrassing? Is if Floyd fought Conor in an MMA match. Would be more embarrassing than if Conor fought Floyd in a boxing match. [Floyd] would get mounted and laughed at, and slapped around [and Conor] would smile at the crowd and wave.”
Diaz was clearly incensed at the recent activity of Paulie Malignaggi following his public spat with McGregor following his dramatic exit from the Irishman’s camp:
“Conor should beat that guy’s ass,” Diaz said of Malignaggi, who will be commentating for the May-Mac fight. “That guy was on the internet talking s–t on him the other day. I’m like, ‘What kind of sparring partners you got?’ I’d shove that guy in the gym and beat his ass if I was Conor, like, ‘what you’re going to put me on blast about what? You don’t know s–t. What gave you the right to talk s–t, criticize if we’re working together when I could beat your ass for real?’ Don’t even speak. That’s my thoughts.”
