Conor McGregor confirms interest in Nate Diaz trilogy ahead of UFC return against Max Holloway

Conor McGregor has admitted he wants to get his hands on Nate Diaz just two months out from his UFC return.

UFC CEO Dana White announced this past weekend that McGregor will return to headline his International Fight Week card against Max Holloway on July 11.

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The seemingly calculated announcement came during Netflix’s first-ever MMA show, just as White’s former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, was making his walk to the cage.

Jake Paul‘s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) promoted the Netflix card, which was headlined by Ronda Rousey’s 17-second win over Gina Carano.

Paul called the UFC ‘little insecure boys’ for announcing McGregor’s return at the same time, adding that they were ‘trying to piggyback off our event.’

Main eventer Rousey, meanwhile, said the move shows that the UFC sees MVP MMA as a ‘threat,’ but is also a ‘compliment, because they’re declaring that they see us as a real rival.’

McGregor mocks Diaz after loss

Diaz fought alongside Rousey on the card, retiring after two rounds in a bloody war with Mike Perry.

And McGregor had some stern words for Diaz in his reaction to the American’s defeat, while also showing interest in a trilogy.

“I see why Nate Diaz didn’t take the fight lol,” McGregor wrote on social media.

“Anyway, here’s to when I get my hands on you, you lanky streak of p***.

“#TrilogyAndIGonnaNeedMyMoney.”

Diaz had revealed in the build-up to his fight with Perry that he had been offered a chance to face McGregor in a trilogy before signing with MVP.

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MVP CEO Nakisa Bidarian even told talkSPORT.com that Diaz signed for his promotion despite a better offer from the UFC.

Why Diaz snubbed McGregor fight

Diaz admitted that he favoured a fight with Perry over McGregor, because he wants to take on those still actively competing.

“[The UFC] want me to fight Conor McGregor right now,” he said in a conversation with Theo Von in March.

“For me, Conor McGregor just f***ing lost to [Dustin] Poirier, he got knocked out on his a**…

“I wanna fight the best of the best, when they are the best of the best.

“Conor’s great, but I’m not trying to go kill off Conor when he’s on his last dying leg.

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“At the same time, I’m not trying to get f***ed up by nobody who just got knocked out and broke his leg.”

McGregor suffered a nasty leg injury against Poirier in his last UFC fight.

It was the Irishman’s second defeat to Poirier in 2021, having also been stopped by ‘The Diamond’ at UFC 257 in January of the same year.

McGregor’s only victory in the last 10 came against Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in 2020.

After shockingly suffering his first UFC defeat to Diaz in March 2016, McGregor exacted revenge by outpointing the American in a five-round war five months later.

He then became the first UFC fighter to hold two UFC titles simultaneously by knocking out Eddie Alvarez, before his famous rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov.

UFC Schedule

For all the upcoming fights and results this year, check out talkSPORT.com’s UFC schedule.

McGregor faces an uphill battle in July against Holloway, who lost the BMF title to Charles Oliveira in March.

However, should ‘The Notorious’ get his arm raised, there are a plethora of options for him to keep on fighting, and a trilogy with Diaz is right up there.