Now that Conor McGregor’s foray into boxing for a unique superfight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. is over and done with, the whole world wants to know when The Notorious will return to mixed martial arts.
McGregor currently holds the UFC lightweight championship, which he won from Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 last November, and remains the company’s most popular attraction. You can bet UFC president Dana White would love to get him back into the octagon relatively soon, and McGregor’s coach even has a big idea for the champ’s next fight.
“If it was my choice, and I must stress that this is only my choice and that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, it would be Nate Diaz in March,” McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, said Wednesday at the launch of the Original Penguin AW17 collection in Dublin, per MMAFighting.com. “That’s what I would push towards.
“I have in my head that it would be a Paddy’s Day card in New York, Nate Diaz 3. I think that would be absolutely amazing. That’s what I would wish for.
“That’s what I’ll be leaning towards with my 0.1 percent influence when I meet with Conor and (his agent) Audie (Attar) (on Thursday). I want Diaz 3, Paddy’s Day in New York.”
Diaz won their first fight via submission at UFC 196 in March 2016, and McGregor won the second bout via a controversial decision at UFC 202 in August 2016. A third showdown seemingly would allow them to settle the score, although some MMA fans might prefer to see McGregor fight Khabib Nurmagomedov or the winner of next week’s Tony Ferguson vs. Kevin Lee fight instead.
Still, Kavanaugh believes Diaz would be the right choice for various reasons.
“I always think that if I was to develop a fighter that would give Conor his best or worst night, either way you look at it, I would come up with Nate Diaz,” Kavanagh said, according to MMAFighting.com. “He can walk through anything, he can match him somewhat in the trash talk and then you have the thing between Conor’s crew and his crew.
“For a bunch of reasons (Diaz is the right fight). It’s not just about being the right guy — that’s all amateur level. This is professional and it’s about entertainment.
“(MMA) is part sport, part entertainment, and I just find it hard to think of a better build-up and a better show than that trilogy fight.”
So, what do you think? Is McGregor vs. Diaz III on St. Patrick’s Day 2018 the way to go?
Thumbnail photo via Adam Hunger/USA TODAY Sports Images
