When UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor defeated Eddie Alvarez via TKO at UFC 205 to claim the UFC lightweight championship, the Irish superstar revealed that he would be taking some time away from the Octagon to prepare for the upcoming birth of his firstborn son in May.
With that being said, McGregor has managed to keep his name in headlines due to his involvement in a potential boxing superfight with Floyd Mayweather. While reports have indicated that a fight between McGregor and Mayweather could be made official if negotiations move in a positive direction, UFC lightweight veteran Nate Diaz believes both men are bluffing.
He spoke on The MMA Hour:
“Why is Mayweather telling everybody that McGregor has a chance?” Nate asked with a laugh. “You guys are selling that hard. That’s wolf tickets. You remember wolf tickets? You guys are selling it hard and I ain’t buying it.”
“I already said it, I’m calling their bluff. Can we pick up the pace please? I thought it was going to happen, but now everybody’s died down and shut up. Every week they were talking shit back and forth. It’s all a hype game, they’re building each other up and UFC is in on it too. Bring boxing back alive, bring MMA alive, it’s the only thing going on. It’s only cause it’s the only thing going on and they’re selling it as that.”
“Mayweather’s coming back relevant, McGregor’s staying relevant, and the boxers are all known and the UFC sees that, and now everybody’s like oh, this is the biggest thing. So it was good for everybody to happen, but now that it’s time to happen, where’s it at? I call their bluff. Make the fight happen. Let’s see it the fuck happen, because in the end, I’m the winner in the whole thing anyway.”
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 5/4/2017.