Among the most significant disappointments in the realm of unfulfilled expectations, the failure to secure the third bout between Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor stands prominently. With the recent declaration that Diaz will compete against Mike Perry on MVP’s inaugural mixed martial arts event, scheduled for May, the much-anticipated deciding match between the adversaries has permanently faded from prospect.
Well, perhaps not eternally, since McGregor is also bound to break free from his UFC obligations eventually, but it has certainly vanished for the immediate future.
Various sentiments can arise concerning this situation; for recent followers, apathy might be a reaction. However, for veteran enthusiasts, who meticulously followed the initial pair of record-shattering encounters with anticipation for a third, a sense of disillusionment is unavoidable. The Ultimate Fighting Championship had been in discussions with Diaz, aged 40, to arrange his return specifically for the trilogy fight with McGregor, likely during International Fight Week, but they failed to finalize an agreement.
Presently, you may label the UFC’s executives as you wish, particularly following their dismissal of Jon Jones for the proposed White House event. Misers. Penny-pinchers. Stingy individuals. Scrooges. Provocateurs. Spoilports. Hunter Campbells. All these descriptors are apt.
Regardless of the disparaging term you select, Nate’s identity can now be included among the “Undervalued Fighters’ Collective” convening in Los Angeles this May. Francis Ngannou. Ronda Rousey. Gina Carano. Nate Diaz. Each of these individuals had the potential to compete in forthcoming UFC events, yet they will instead exert their utmost effort to ensure MVP’s venture into mixed martial arts significantly overshadows any offering from the UFC. Netflix, which is broadcasting the contests live on May 16, reaches a vast audience.
Numerous. Households. Indeed.
Consequently, the trilogy bout that had lingered in the mixed martial arts sphere for ten years has concluded. Or perhaps not absolutely concluded, but certainly concluded for contests within an octagonal enclosure. McGregor is currently 37 years old with a remaining two fights on his UFC contract. His 38th birthday is in July.
The third encounter between Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor represents the missed opportunity.
(Josh Hedges via Getty Images)
Even though Diaz has preserved an amicable rapport with the UFC, despite their attempt to pit him against Khamzat Chimaev in 2022 before his departure for professional boxing, he might have definitively closed the possibility of a comeback. Demands are the customary communication style of the UFC, a dialect Diaz has never mastered. His defiant behavior initially led to his confrontation with McGregor, as he bypassed other contenders to challenge the Irishman when Rafael dos Anjos withdrew from their lightweight championship match at UFC 196 due to injury. Diaz merely declared, “Conor McGregor, you’ve appropriated everything I’ve strived for, motherf***er” following his victory over Michael Johnson, thereby initiating the rivalry.
From that moment, we embarked on the most remarkable deviation in the UFC’s annals.
Diaz entered the cage and defeated McGregor, squarely within the apex of Conor’s peak performance. He significantly deviated from expectations by inflicting McGregor’s initial defeat, which nevertheless proved to be a monumental event. The subsequent rematch, occurring at UFC 202 slightly more than five months afterward, demolished pay-per-view benchmarks as McGregor secured his retribution. By their second contest, both individuals recognized their business synergy. They understood the significance of their combination and explicitly communicated it. The third match appeared unavoidable.
That era was ten years prior, and their paths have diverged extensively since. Diaz conjured the BMF title from nothing, subsequently exiting the UFC. McGregor clinched a championship in a second division opposing Eddie Alvarez, amassed considerable wealth through a spontaneous boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr., caused a bus window in Brooklyn to shatter with a dolly, garnered widespread negative tabloid attention for various misdeeds, elevated Dustin Poirier to cult hero status, shaped Dillon Danis into his current persona, and compelled his supporters to endure a five-year hiatus before witnessing his next fight.
Which contender would have been a more logical choice for his comeback than Nate Diaz? Nate Diaz, who reaches 41 years of age in April. Nate Diaz, who was accessible. Consequently, in a year characterized by secondary options within the UFC’s fight-arranging division, the UFC will need to adjust its plans regarding McGregor’s comeback. They might consider arranging a rematch with Max Holloway, who did not secure the anticipated bout against Charles Oliveira for the BMF. Among fallback options, that one is quite respectable.
Similarly, Diaz versus Perry represents a matchup of exceptional quality attainable beyond the UFC’s scope. Mike Perry’s subsequent career phase post-UFC has proven remarkably unexpected and financially rewarding. Despite his contractual obligations with BKFC and his involvement in co-managing the Dirty Boxing Championship, he retains the liberty to secure a substantial earning with Netflix and MVP. They refer to the White House event as UFC Freedom 250. However, MVP’s inaugural MMA event truly exemplifies professional autonomy.
The tangential path that once united Diaz and McGregor now appears to be a lasting separation. At least within the Ultimate Fighting Championship, this seems to be the case. McGregor is set to compete against Holloway or another opponent, a revelation we anticipate discovering shortly.
As for Diaz, it appears the alternative path has indeed proven more advantageous.
