INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Nate Diaz‘s track record of callouts is impressive. When he called out Conor McGregor in 2015, it led to two epic fights the following year. When he called out Jorge Masvidal last year, the UFC invented a belt to strap around the winner.
But the MMA world may have to wait a bit before learning who Diaz wants next.
“I want to watch what happens in the next few months,” Diaz said backstage at Bellator 238 on Saturday after cornering his protégé Chris Avila at The Forum.
Diaz is routinely mentioned as a future opponent for McGregor, who stopped Donald ”Cowboy” Cerrone in 40 seconds on Jan. 18. Diaz ripped the effort after McGregor’s win, and when told of his criticism that night, McGregor responded: “Let’s go, Nathan. Let’s go, brother. Number three. It’s always here.”
Diaz explained on Saturday why he didn’t think much of McGregor’s first appearance in the Octagon since Nov. 6, 2018.
“”Cowboy” doesn’t care about winning and losing, so [McGregor] didn’t have a very hard fight on his hands,” Diaz said.
A rematch with Masvidal also has been mentioned for Diaz, who lost by a doctor’s stoppage on Nov. 2 when Masvidal opened cuts around Diaz’s right eye. Despite some speculation, Diaz said he didn’t have or need surgery after that bout and that he’s medically cleared to come back at any time.
Diaz may want to wait until Khabib Nurmagomedov defends his lightweight title against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 on April 18 in Brooklyn. The outcome of that fight will play into McGregor’s next move. That could start shaping the UFC’s calendar for the rest of the year and beyond.
UFC president Dana White has said he wants McGregor to face the Nurmagomedov-Ferguson winner next and that a fight with Masvidal challenging welterweight champion Kamaru Usman would be massive. Usman is currently nursing a thumb injury. Masvidal’s manager Abe Kawa said Monday on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show that if Usman is injured and McGregor fights Nurmagomedov, then Diaz could be next for Masvidal.
Diaz waited three years before coming back to fight Anthony Pettis last August. He won that fight, called out Masvidal and headlined MSG against him in November for the mythical BMF title. So when would an ideal time to get back in the cage be?
“When the time is right,” Diaz said.