A potential fight between former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor and The Ultimate Fighter season 1 winner Diego Sanchez is gaining steam.
Sanchez, who meets Jake Matthews on the the prelims of tomorrow night’s UFC 253 event, called for a fight with McGregor earlier this week, identifying it as the ideal matchup for the final fight of his legendary career.
“My goals in these last four fights in the UFC is to finish strong, to finish healthy,” Sanchez said (via Essentially Sports). “I shoot for the moon man, I shoot for the moon in everything I do. I’m looking for legend fights. I’m not looking past Jake Matthews, but I’m looking for some legend fights.
“Nick Diaz is coming back,” Sanchez added. “There’s some other names, Nate Diaz, there’s a lot of big fights that would be appealing for the fans. I said I shoot for the moon, Conor McGregor is the number four fight. I envision myself dominating these next three fights and finishing my career with a fight with Conor McGregor. That’s my dream, that’s my vision. As I build my legacy and his does what his does, I’ll be waiting if he wants to do it at the end of the road.”
On Friday afternoon McGregor responded to the aforementioned request from Sanchez. In a somewhat surprising twist, McGregor agreed to fight Sanchez, and actually revealed that he asked UFC President Dana White for the matchup after he defeated Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone earlier this year.
“To Diego Sanchez,” McGregor wrote on Twitter. “I seen your recent comments about your final bout and I am in! After you fought [Michel] Pereira, I had requested for myself and you to compete in Dublin. This was back in February when I was working on opposition for my season, pre-COVID. Good luck this weekend!”
In his Tweet, Conor McGregor included screenshots from his conversations with Dana White, who was opposed to the idea of a fight with Sanchez, suggesting he’d “lose his promoter’s license” if he booked it.
Most recently Diego Sanchez reacted to the news that the Irishman was willing to entertain a future contest.
‘The Nightmare took to Instagram with the following statement.
“I have Jake Matthews first and am 1000% ready to master the task! When I speak of true universal connection and #IAMTHISNOW I can assure you @espn you will have something special as I do what I have to do to get my healing 9/26/2020 Conor McGregor I will earn this opportunity with my excellence that is displayed at #ufc253 I will off the heads of as many as needed to get to you! Fuck the belt we are destiny mark my words it’s in the ether #IAMTHISNOW”
While McGregor is interested in a future match-up with Sanchez, he is not willing to wait around for it. In the meantime the Irish star is apparently going to make his second go at professional boxing in a blockbuster bout with legend Manny Pacquiao.
Would you like to see a future UFC bout between Diego Sanchez and Conor McGregor if ‘The Nightmare’ can emerge victorious against Jake Matthews tomorrow night at UFC 253? Share your thoughts in the comments section PENN Nation!
This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on September 25, 2020