Conor McGregor demanded that men hopeful of fighting him form an orderly queue to beg – but Nate Diaz got the fight he was angling for without having to compromise.
So now we know. McGregor and Diaz will go to welterweight war on Saturday week at UFC 196.
Having claimed earlier this year that the UFC had agreed to him fighting The Notorious, Diaz was left looking slightly foolish when a lightweight title fight against Rafael Dos Anjos was booked instead.
All that changed last Friday when RDA broke a fifth metatarsal in a sparring session. On Tuesday, February 23, the fight was pulled and the search for a new body went out.
Considering that Diaz only got $40k from his Fight Night Orlando win over Michael Johnson, one would have imagined he would be desperate to sign any type of contract to fight McGregor. Not so.
According to leading MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, Diaz and his team did not flinch when it came to negotiations with the UFC.
McGregor’s camp were reportedly keen on a catch-weight fight at 160lbs but Diaz dismissed that notion off hand. Remember, McGregor was already stepping up from 145lbs to 155lbs to challenge for the lightweight strap.
In the end, McGregor sent word to the UFC that he would step up to welterweight (170lbs) to fight the Stockon native, instructing that UFC officials “tell [Diaz] to get comfortable”.
… McGregor adds one more note:
"Make it 170," he says. "Tell him to get comfortable."
The fight is made. At welterweight. #ufc196
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 24, 2016
The first stand-off between the pair and Diaz comes out on top, although McGregor’s words are slightly ominous.
As a sweetener, Diaz was also offered a new, two-fight deal that will earn him over six figures each time he steps into the octagon. If he wins, it gets even better.
It pays to stay in shape.
