What’s Conor McGregor’s next move?
That’s the question percolating throughout the combat sports community, with a rematch against Nate Diaz and a fight against boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. seen as possible options for the UFC featherweight champion.
Diaz isn’t exactly buying into the McGregor-Mayweather chatter, though.
“I think the Mayweather thing is a publicity stunt,” Diaz said Wednesday in an interview with The MMA Hour, per ESPN.com. “It’s great for both of them. Boxing followers will start following Conor, MMA followers are going to start following Floyd. They’re all benefiting, and no one is losing, so they’re going to keep the ball rolling.
“But every day I hear about this Mayweather (crap), it’s always about, ‘Am I going to take the fight?’ It seems like this is a pretty big deal, can I get compensated for it? … I’m like, ‘Hey, I call your bluff. Fight (Mayweather), I’ll be right here.’ ”
Diaz isn’t alone in his skepticism of a potential McGregor-Mayweather fight. Setting up a bout between UFC’s biggest draw and boxing’s biggest draw is complicated on so many levels. But Diaz has more of a stake in the idea than most, as he confirmed he has been in negotiations about fighting McGregor at UFC 202, which likely will take place in August. (Diaz defeated McGregor at UFC 196 in March and was scheduled to fight him at UFC 200 in July before the Irishman backed out.)
“A lot of people know Conor McGregor is a big draw,” Diaz said. “But I know, whether they want to say it or not, I put up bigger numbers than anybody, too.”
Whatever fight McGregor chooses undoubtedly will be a huge event.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
