Dustin Poirier Responds to Nate Diaz's Challenge for UFC Fight at 185 Pounds
Jul 16, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 10: Dustin Poirier interacts with media during the post-fight press conference after his victory over Conor McGregor during the UFC 264 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 10, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Nate Diaz called out Dustin Poirier on Thursday night. So Poirier responded.
Diaz is coming off a decision loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 263, while Poirier beat Conor McGregor for the second straight time at UFC 264 after McGregor broke his leg.
Diaz and Poirier have never squared off, though they were scheduled to fight at UFC 230 before a hip injury forced Poirier to withdraw ahead of the matchup. That fight was set to be a lightweight matchup, not middleweight, which Diaz seems to want for any future fight with Poirier.
Granted, Poirier may simply opt for a title fight. But a Diaz-Poirier fight seems like a safe bet for some point in the future.
LAS VEGAS, NV - AUGUST 20: (L-R) Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor of Ireland embrace after finishing five rounds in their welterweight bout during the UFC 202 event at T-Mobile Arena on August 20, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Audie Attar, the manager for UFC star
Conor McGregor, said he's confident a trilogy fight against Nate Diaz
will eventually take place, but the timetable remains unclear.
Attar told TMZ Sports a lot will depend
on the outcome of Saturday night's UFC 264 main event, which will see
a separate trilogy as McGregor takes on Dustin Poirier. If the Irish
fan favorite comes out on top, he'll shift his focus to lightweight
champion Charles Oliveira.
"I think it'll be the title fight
against Charles Oliveira," Attar said about what's next for
McGregor. "Oliveria is here, he's gonna be present at the fight,
waiting to see who he's gonna fight next."
That said, the long-awaited third
meeting with Diaz is still on the horizon, as well.
"The trilogy fight is gonna
happen. Conor publicly said it has to happen. And, I know both
fighters intend to make it happen," Attar told TMZ. "I think it's
just gonna happen in the near future, just not next, immediately. He
wants the belt next."
A lot of things have been put on the
back burner because McGregor, who typically fought two or three times
a year early in his UFC career, has only entered the Octagon three
times since a November 2016 win over Eddie Alvarez.
His performance has also dipped with a
3-3 record in his most recent six bouts, including losses to Khabib
Nurmagomedov and Poirier over his last three outings.
Yet McGregor, 32, is still one win away
from a likely title shot and remains one of UFC's top draws. Even if
he loses Saturday, changing course toward the trilogy bout with Diaz
would generate a lot of interest.
Diaz won the first matchup by
second-round submission in March 2016, but McGregor avenged that
defeat with a victory by majority decision five months later. He then
beat Alvarez for the lightweight belt before an extended hiatus that
included a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=672xUAZax7Q
Meanwhile, McGregor defeated Poirier by
first-round knockout in September 2014, but the 32-year-old American
came out on top with a second-round TKO when they met in January.
The outlook for both fighters will
become more clear based on whose hand is raised in victory at
T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Conor McGregor Says Nate Diaz Trilogy Fight Must Happen: 'I Look Forward to the Day'
Jul 9, 2021
Conor McGregor fights Nate Diaz during their welterweight mixed martial arts bout at UFC 202 on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, in Las Vegas. McGregor won by split decision. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
As Conor McGregor prepares to put a bow on his trilogy with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 on Saturday, the Notorious One is also looking at a third fight with another opponent.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, McGregor said a trilogy fight with Nate Diaz "must happen."
"I look forward to the day," he added.
After fighting at lightweight for his entire UFC career, McGregor agreed to move up to middleweight in 2016 for a bout with Diaz.
Diaz came out on top in the first match at UFC 196 by submitting McGregor in the second round. It was the Irish superstar's first loss in a mixed martial arts match since 2010.
The two agreed to a rematch that occurred at UFC 202 in August 2016. McGregor got a measure of revenge in a close fight. He was awarded a majority decision win with two judges scoring the bout 48-47 and the third ruling it a 47-47 draw.
Since his first bout with Diaz, McGregor has gone just 3-3 in his last six mixed martial arts contests.
Diaz has lost three of his last four fights overall, including a unanimous-decision defeat against Leon Edwards at UFC 263 on June 12.
TGIFighting: The Best MMA Fights This Week Are Not in the UFC
Jun 25, 2021
Anthony Pettis poses on the scale during a weigh-in for UFC 197,Friday, April 22, 2016, in Las Vegas. Pettis is scheduled to fight Edson Barboza Saturday in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Welcome back to TGIFighting, where we preview the weekend's combat sports action and make wry observations about the relevant MMA news of the day. Ready? Let us proceed.
An Embarrassment of Trash Talk Riches
Trash talk is the oil that lubricates the MMA gears. It's what enables people to follow the sport, rather than simply watch the fights. It's the extra dimension that lends that inimitable pop to a matchup. It's an art as specific as the butterfly guard or the overhand right.
This week, we got a lot of good entries from some of the biggest names in the sport.
For instance, welterweight champ Kamaru Usman (19-1) pledged to put a "187" on someone named Nate Diaz (21-13). Usman is currently committed to a rather low-energy rematch with Colby Covington (16-2), leading Diaz to chide Usman that "you do what you're told to do, like a good champion." Covington or not, that's not an aspersion Usman is likely to forget, especially when it's attached to a golden goose like Diaz.
I see you 209. If you really want this 187 then call your boy hunter 😏
Elsewhere, middleweight champ Israel Adesanya (21-1) and the man he beat to win the title, Robert Whittaker (23-5), are building heat for their inevitable rematch. Whittaker told Australia's Daily Telegraph (h/t MMA Fighting)that Adesanya is "very touchable" and "not a god"—the audacity!—with Adesanya responding on Twitter, "I may not be a god, but I baptized you." Ouch.
I might not be a god to you, but I baptized you #Jezus
Finally, we have someone who's not usually found on many trash-talking hot lists. Chan Sung Jung, aka the Korean Zombie (17-6), put aside his typical humility to throw shade at Max Holloway (22-6), saying the former featherweight champ "doesn't have punching power." If that helps make a fight between these two, with the winner being well positioned to contend for the strap once Brian Ortega (15-1, 1 NC) and champ Alexander Volkanovski (22-1) have settled their business, then Zombie just did a lot with a few simple words.
But hey, that's what a good piece of trash talk can do for you.
The Best Fights This Weekend Aren't in the UFC
The main card of UFC Fight Night 190, going down Saturday in Las Vegas, features five bouts. In the main event, Cyril Gane (8-0) and Alexander Volkov (33-8) vie to become a heavyweight title contender. With Gane sitting at No. 3 on the official UFC heavyweight rankings and Volkov at No. 5, the winner here will pass the velvet rope and enter the contender picture in a top-heavy division.
No other main card fighter in the event cracks the top 15. You know who might have noticed this little soft spot on the UFC calendar? The Professional Fighters League, for one, and Friday's PFL 6 card is pretty chock full of top-shelf talent and legitimate drama thanks to the promotion's tournament format. The main card airs on ESPN2.
Kayla Harrison
The most transcendent non-UFC fighter today may well be women's lightweight Kayla Harrison (9-0), she of the two Olympic judo gold medals and a victims list that resembles an Andy Warhol painting. Yes, Harrison's strength of schedule may be weaker than you'd want to see, but it still says something that she's been competing against herself for a remarkable length of time. She has been known to cry tears of frustration when she doesn't get a stoppage, or even when the stoppage doesn't come quickly enough.
Kayla Harrison fought back tears after going to decision for the first time in her MMA career pic.twitter.com/AGRV9CgLqt
Harrison is back in the main event Friday, facing a well-traveled veteran in Cindy Dandois (16-6). If she can handle Dandois, her case grows as the only woman outside of Amanda Nunes (21-4) who can stake a claim as the world's best female fighter. Would that a world existed where those two could actually fight.
In the co-main event, you have former UFC champ Anthony Pettis (24-11) facing a dangerous opponent in Raush Manfio (12-3). Pettis is a -200 favorite to win, per DraftKings, but Manfio is a headhunter with seven knockout wins to his name. If Manfio can close the distance and keep Pettis from working in space, or if Pettis falls in love with his "Showtime" moves too early, this could be competitive. And if he can't, you've still got the makings of a highlight-reel contest, especially given that Pettis needs a stoppage win to advance to the next round of this season‘s PFL tournament.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - MAY 09: Anthony Pettis (R) of the United States punches Donald Cerrone (L) of the United States in their Welterweight fight during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on May 9, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. D
Speaking of which, there’s legitimate drama further down the card, in the form of decorated featherweight Lance Palmer (22-4). You may not have heard of Palmer, but thanks to the two $1 million checks he's cashed as a repeat PFL tournament winner, he has earned a damn sight more money than UFC peers with triple the visibility.
Palmer does not always have the most crowd-friendly of styles, a ground-and-pound approach that sometimes misplaces the pound. But when he's rolling, he's formidable. The four-time Ohio State All-American will try to rebound from a big upset loss to old college wrestling rival Bubba Jenkins (16-4) back in April when he faces Movlid Khaybulaev (16-0, 1 NC). Under the tournament scoring system, Palmer needs a first- or second-round stoppage to stay alive this season. So just a tiny bit of pressure and a big reason to watch and see what unfolds. It's almost like PFL planned it this way.
The truth of the matter is that no other show can match the UFC's deep talent stocks. But if there's ever a weekend where another show can shine, it's this one.
UFC Fight Night 190: Hidden Gems
No need to further beat the dead horse that is this card's suckitude. But it's still the UFC, and as such, all is not lost. Is it worth five hours of your time? Nope. But it might be worth a few minutes.
On the main card, look for an intriguing action fight between featherweights Andre Fili (21-8) and Daniel Pineda (27-14). There's also a potential undercard firecracker between Tim Means (31-12-1, 1 NC) and Nicolas Dalby (19-3-1, 2 NC); this could be your Fight of the Night dark horse. The featured prelim bout is a showcase for two world-class grapplers in jiu-jitsu champion Raoni Barcelos (16-1) and sambo master Timur Valiev (17-2, 1 NC).
The card airs on ESPN+, the Worldwide Leader's subscription streaming service.
So as with any UFC card, there are some decent options. You just have to know where to look. At the same time, there's no reason to limit your MMA viewing to the Octagon. This weekend may demonstrate that more than any we've had in quite a while.
Stone Cold Lead Pipe Lock of the Week
Record to date: 12-4
Welcome back to the haven for conservative bettors. In keeping with the theme this week, let us move outside the UFC. In PFL, Harrison is a massive favorite, but odds of -2000 to win are simply not sporting.
Let's instead move to the Bellator cage, where UFC veteran and mustache advocate Tim Johnson (15-6) faces Valentin Moldavsky (10-1) for the interim heavyweight belt. Moldavsky is a -286 favorite to emerge on top, per DraftKings. Here's guessing Johnson is providing the sizzle in this matchup, while Moldavsky serves as the steak. Lock it in.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).
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Leon Edwards Reveals Nate Diaz's Advice After UFC 263 Fight: 'Name Your Price'
Jun 14, 2021
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JUNE 12: Nate Diaz (L) fights Leon Edwards of Jamaica during their UFC 263 welterweight match at Gila River Arena on June 12, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona.
Nate Diaz had pretty good advice for Leon Edwards after the latter beat him by unanimous decision at UFC 263 on Saturday night.
"Nate told me after the fight, 'Don't let these motherf--kers tell you ain't s--t name your price or they will name it for you' and I felt that," Edwards tweeted Monday.
Edwards largely controlled the fight through the first four rounds, battering Diaz and easily winning on the cards. But he let his guard down just enough in the fifth round to get smashed by a Diaz left that had him swaying, a lapse in concentration he told reporters he would learn from after the fight:
I was rocked. I wasn’t rocked [enough] to go down to my knees and get ground and pounded out but I felt that. I didn’t know what he hit me with until after the fight. It was a clean shot. Like I said, I got complacent. I thought there’s only a minute and a half left, let’s just go with the flow of the fight and I paid the price. That is a lesson. I’m still learning. I’m 29 years old and I’m still growing.
Regardless of that shaky finish, Edwards continues to impress. He hasn't lost since 2015, when Kamaru Usman beat him by unanimous decision. Since then, he has nine wins out of 10 fights with one no-contest after he accidentally poked Belal Muhammad in the eye in March.
As for Diaz, he didn't just have things to say after the fight. Edwards told reporters his opponent was talking smack the entire match too, even as the Brit was getting the better of him:
I think Nate's Nate, that's what I like about him. He is who he is, he won't change for nobody and especially talking s--t. Even when I was hitting him, I was getting him with some good shots and [he said], 'What are you doing? You ain't doing nothing!' I'm like, 'Bro, I'm beating you up here.' It is what it is.
Good fight, I enjoyed it. It's been a long, long two years and I was happy to come back and compete against a guy like Nate. I respect him, especially after that fight. Knowing how much he can take and keep going forward and keep talking s--t.
Beating a fighter like Diaz was important for Edwards. It should open the door for him to get more high-profile fights and perhaps eventually a title shot.
UFC 263 went down in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday night and, oh boy, it was a fun one. After a rousing undercard , the main card kicked off with a pair of impressive wins from ...
Nate Diaz on Loss to Leon Edwards: 'Wish I Would Have Took His Ass the F--k Out'
Jun 13, 2021
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JUNE 12: (R-L) Nate Diaz punches Leon Edwards of Jamaica in their welterweight fight during the UFC 263 event at Gila River Arena on June 12, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Nate Diaz nearly earned a late knockout versus Leon Edwards at UFC 263, but the veteran ran out of time in his unanimous-decision loss.
"I had a hard time getting going today," Diaz said afterward, per Damon Martin of MMA Fighting. "Congratulations to Leon. I wish I would have took his ass the f--k out."
He also said he would have had more success without official UFC rules:
"In a real fight, in the real world, that fight is a wrap.”
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JUNE 12: Israel Adesanya of Nigeria warms up prior to his fight during the UFC 263 event at Gila River Arena on June 12, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC)
Israel Adesanya retained his UFC middleweight title after defeating Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision at UFC 263 in Glendale, Arizona's Gila River Arena on Saturday.
Adesanya won 50-45 on all three judges' scorecards. He received a brief scare when Vettori tried to apply a rear-naked choke in Round 3, but Adesanya escaped and otherwise dominated the fight for all five rounds.
Adesanya had 96 significant strikes to Vettori's 58. Vettori did land four takedowns, however.
After the match, Adesanya stood alone atop the middleweight mountain once again, and it's clear that he's the king of the division. He said as much while making comments about top middleweight contender Robert Whittaker:
Adesanya moved to 21-1 for his career. He's undefeated at middleweight.
The Adesanya-Vettori fight was a rematch of the champ's split-decision victory over Vettori in April 2018.
That marked the only time Adesanya hasn't won by knockout or unanimous decision at middleweight. His only professional loss was to Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight belt.
The middleweight title fight was just one of five bouts on the main card and 14 overall (including preliminaries).
Here's a look at how the action-packed night went down, including recaps and highlights from the rest of the five-fight main card, which included the flyweight title changing hands.
Main Card
Israel Adesanya vs. Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision, 50-45, 50-45, 50-45
Brandon Moreno def. Deiveson Figueiredo via third-round submission, 2:26
Leon Edwards def. Nate Diaz via unanimous decision, 49-46, 49-46, 49-46
Belal Muhammad def. Demian Maia via unanimous decision, 30-27, 29-28, 29-28
Paul Craig def. Jamahal Hill via first-round TKO at 1:59
Prelims
Brad Riddell def. Drew Dober via unanimous decision, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28
Eryk Anders def. Darren Stewart via unanimous decision, 29-28, 29-27, 29-27
Pannie Kianzad def. Alexis Davis via unanimous decision, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28
Terrance McKinney def. Matt Frevola via first-round knockout at 0:07
Steven Peterson def. Chase Hooper via unanimous decision, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28
Fares Ziam def. Luigi Vendramini via majority decision, 29-28, 29-28, 28-28
Carlos Felipe def. James Collier via split decision, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno
Brandon Moreno became the first Mexican-born champion in UFC history after taking the flyweight title off Deiveson Figueiredo via a rear-naked choke in Round 3.
Moreno controlled this fight all the way and set the tone in Round 1, per ESPN's Brett Okamoto:
Masterful first round for Brandon Moreno. Dude is LOCKED in. Seeing everything out there. Figgy still as dangerous as they come but what a round for the challenger.
He nearly doubled the former champion's significant strike total (47-24) before applying the rear-naked choke in Round 3 to become the flyweight titleholder, cementing a long, uphill road to the top, as ESPN's Marc Raimondi noted:
Brandon Moreno was the dead last seed on TUF. He was cut by the UFC. And now that man is holding UFC gold. What a story. What a fighter. Campeón! #UFC263
ESPN's Ariel Helwani and Raimondi explained what Moreno's win might mean for his future as a face for the company:
Moreno has a chance to be a huge draw for the UFC now. They’ve been looking for this Mexican champion for years and he’s got the personality and fighting style to get people behind him.
The Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona has come unglued. Brandon Moreno is an absolute star here. There’s no doubt he can headline events himself in Mexico and some U.S. cities. #UFC263
Moreno and Figueiredo fought to a majority draw in December 2020, but this time, the 27-year-old Mexican left no doubt as to who the best flyweight fighter is today.
Moreno is now 19-5 with two draws. Figueiredo is 20-2-1.
Leon Edwards vs. Nate Diaz
Leon Edwards dominated Nate Diaz for four-plus rounds but needed to survive a furious finish from the challenger en route to a unanimous-decision win.
Edwards won four of five rounds on all three judges' scorecards, but Diaz nearly took matters into his own hands:
Hill suffered a gruesome arm injury following a Craig armbar but kept fighting anyway. The referee eventually stopped the fight after a few moments, and ESPN's Ariel Helwani pondered why the official didn't stop the fight sooner.
Holy smokes, man.
Hill’s harm was broken for several seconds and JUST FLOPPING AROUND AS HE KEPT FIGHTING. WHAT!
Craig: You either tap, nap, or it snaps and tonight it snapped. One hell of an opponent there in the octagon, took shots after his arm was broke. That's tough #UFC263
However, it was all Muhammad in the final two rounds. Per UFC Stats, he had 40 significant strikes to Muhammad's 19 over Rounds 2 and 3 as he cruised to the unanimous-decision win.
Muhammad also defended 20 of 21 takedowns, and boxing trainer/analyst Teddy Atlas shouted out the victor's efforts.
UFC, Floyd may be the defensive King in Boxing but when it comes to defending takedowns in MMA Belal Muhammad is the man and the Mountain. @bullyb170#UFC263#UFC
ESPN's Brett Okamoto tweeted about the 43-year-old Maia's UFC future afterward:
Belal Muhammad defeats Demian Maia via unanimous decision. That was the final fight on Maia's UFC contract. He told me this week he was open to fighting again and re-signing with the UFC if he won. Seems likely that was the final time we'll see him in Octagon, but we'll see.
It's impossible to look good against Demian Maia. We've known this forever. That was a damn good win for Belal Muhammad over a true legend of the game. #UFC263
Nate Diaz needed a win at UFC 263, having not fought since Jorge Masvidal strafed him in 2019. Unfortunately for the California native, that win didn't materialize. Instead, he lost a clear-cut decision to No...
Leon Edwards Defeats Nate Diaz via Unanimous Decision in UFC 263 Thriller
Jun 13, 2021
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JUNE 12: (L-R) Leon Edwards of Jamaica reacts after his decision victory over Nate Diaz in their welterweight fight during the UFC 263 event at Gila River Arena on June 12, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Leon Edwards has now gone 10 straight fights without a loss after defeating Nate Diaz via unanimous decision Saturday at UFC 263 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Edwards dominated the fight for the first four rounds and most of the fifth, but a furious Diaz finish made things a bit interesting.
Nate Diaz handily loses 24 minutes of the fight, then hurts Leon Edwards multiple times in the final minute. Couldn't quite get the finish, but the crowd came to life there. #UFC263
This fight was originally scheduled to take place at UFC 262 in May, but Diaz suffered a minor injury that forced the delay, per Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports.
The bout also marked the first time in UFC history that a non-main event, non-title fight went five rounds instead of three, per Adam D Martin of BJPenn.com.
Edwards entered the fight ranked as the No. 3 contender on UFC's welterweight rankings. He hasn't lost since December 2015, when he fell to current division champion Kamaru Usman via unanimous decision.
The 29-year-old responded by winning eight straight fights before a no-contest against Belal Muhammad in March 2021 due to an accidental eye poke 18 seconds into Round 2.
He is now 19-3 with one no-contest for his professional MMA career. He's gone 11-2 (one NC) in the UFC.
Diaz, 36, fell to 20-13 for his professional MMA career (15-11 UFC) after the defeat following a 19-month hiatus away from the Octagon.
Jorge Masvidal defeated Diaz for the "BMF" belt in the Californian's last fight, which ended with a doctor stoppage following three rounds in November 2019. He was deemed unfit to continue when he suffered a cut over his right eye.
Despite the defeat to the talented Edwards, Diaz still holds an impressive resume, which includes a win over former two-division champion Conor McGregor and victories against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, Jim Miller and Anthony Pettis.
