Nate Diaz wants to make his UFC return count, but not against a broken-down Conor McGregor. The Stockton scrapper has his sights set on bigger prizes – and the BMF belt tops his shopping list.
Diaz Rejects UFC Offers for McGregor Trilogy
While Nate Diaz gears up to face Mike Perry (14-8) at the MVP MMA event on Netflix this May 16th, he’s already plotting his next move. The 40-year-old revealed on “This Past Weekend w/Theo Von” that the UFC came knocking with offers that actually paid more than his Netflix deal – but the opponent list didn’t match his ambitions.
“I want to go back to the UFC,” Diaz explained. “I have bigger offers from the UFC than I got from [MVP and Netflix], but the offers weren’t the opponents.” The veteran knows timing is everything in this brutal game, and right now isn’t McGregor’s moment.
Moreover, Diaz (21-13) doesn’t fancy playing the role of executioner to his old rival’s career. “I’m not trying to kill off Conor when he’s on his last dying leg, literally,” he stated bluntly. The Irishman hasn’t stepped foot in the octagon since suffering that horrific broken leg against Dustin Poirier in 2021.
Charles Oliveira and the BMF Belt Beckon
Instead of chasing easy money against a damaged McGregor (22-6), Diaz has his eyes on fresh meat. Charles Oliveira sits at the top of his hit list – the Brazilian who just claimed the BMF title by outpointing Max Holloway over five gruelling rounds at UFC 326.
The irony isn’t lost on anyone. Diaz helped create the BMF belt back in 2019 during his war with Jorge Masvidal, and now he wants it back from Oliveira when “Do Bronx” is at his peak.
Furthermore, this calculated approach shows Diaz’s evolution as a fighter and businessman. He’s not interested in being anyone’s retirement party or comeback victim. “I’m not trying to finish this dude off,” he said about McGregor, “and at the same time, I’m not trying to get f—ed up by nobody who just got knocked out.”
The trilogy with McGregor will have to wait – Diaz wants championship gold, not sympathy victories.
