Diaz to fight McGregor at UFC 196
Tonight on ESPN’s Sports Center, UFC President Dana White announced that Nate Diaz will fight Conor McGregor at UFC 196 and that the fight will take place in the welterweight division:
Tonight on ESPN’s Sports Center, UFC President Dana White announced that Nate Diaz will fight Conor McGregor at UFC 196 and that the fight will take place in the welterweight division:
We figured this would be the most exciting fight, White said. It’s the fight that Conor really wanted. A lot of people wanted to fight Conor McGregor, but Diaz wanted the fight and we figured this was the fight to make and the fight that the fans wanted to see.
White also indicated that there were fighters on both sides of the fence, some wanting the fight despite short notice and some turning down the offer.
We called Jose Aldo, Jose Aldo turned the fight down, White said. We called Frankie Edgar, Frankie Edgar turned the fight down. We called ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, (and he) absolutely accepted the fight – would love to take the fight. B.J. Penn said he wanted the fight. A lot of guys wanted this fight, but we ended up with Nate Diaz. We felt this was the fight to make and the fight the fans wanted to see.