Nate Diaz and UFC president Dana White. AP Photo / Gregory Payan
AP Photo / Gregory Payan / Gregory Payan
UFC PRESIDENT DANA White confirmed that the organisation had plenty of options when it came to choosing a replacement opponent for Conor McGregor at UFC 196.
Advertisement
McGregor, the UFC’s featherweight champion, was due to face lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in Las Vegas on Saturday week but the Brazilian withdrew from the bout yesterday after sustaining an injury in training.
Instead, McGregor will face Nate Diaz in a welterweight main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Dana White confirmed the news overnight during an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
White revealed that Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar were offered the fight against McGregor but both turned it down. Aldo, who McGregor knocked out in 13 seconds in December, is not in shape, according to his camp. Edgar, who has been chasing a feartherweight bout against McGregor, is reportedly carrying an injury.
We figured that this would be the most exciting fight. It’s the fight that Conor really wanted. A lot of people wanted to fight Conor McGregor but Diaz wanted the fight and we felt that this was the fight to make.”
“Let me tell you, there was a long list of people that said they wanted the chance to fight Conor McGregor. We called Jose Aldo, Jose Aldo turned the fight down. We called Frankie Edgar, Frankie Edgar turned the fight down. Those were two guys that everybody was talking about. Those two [were] out of the way,” White said.
White added that Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone — who scored a first-round submission win against Alex Oliveira on Sunday night — was keen to take the fight, as were former lightweight champions Anthony Pettis and BJ Penn.
“We called ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone. [He] absolutely accepted the fight, would love to take the fight. BJ Penn wanted the fight, Anthony Pettis wanted the fight, a lot of people wanted this fight. But we ended up with Nate Diaz. We felt this was the fight to make and the fight that the fans wanted to see.”
Dana White: Aldo and Edgar turned down the fight but McGregor wanted Diaz anyway
UFC PRESIDENT DANA White confirmed that the organisation had plenty of options when it came to choosing a replacement opponent for Conor McGregor at UFC 196.
McGregor, the UFC’s featherweight champion, was due to face lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in Las Vegas on Saturday week but the Brazilian withdrew from the bout yesterday after sustaining an injury in training.
Instead, McGregor will face Nate Diaz in a welterweight main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Dana White confirmed the news overnight during an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
White revealed that Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar were offered the fight against McGregor but both turned it down. Aldo, who McGregor knocked out in 13 seconds in December, is not in shape, according to his camp. Edgar, who has been chasing a feartherweight bout against McGregor, is reportedly carrying an injury.
“Let me tell you, there was a long list of people that said they wanted the chance to fight Conor McGregor. We called Jose Aldo, Jose Aldo turned the fight down. We called Frankie Edgar, Frankie Edgar turned the fight down. Those were two guys that everybody was talking about. Those two [were] out of the way,” White said.
White added that Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone — who scored a first-round submission win against Alex Oliveira on Sunday night — was keen to take the fight, as were former lightweight champions Anthony Pettis and BJ Penn.
“We called ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone. [He] absolutely accepted the fight, would love to take the fight. BJ Penn wanted the fight, Anthony Pettis wanted the fight, a lot of people wanted this fight. But we ended up with Nate Diaz. We felt this was the fight to make and the fight that the fans wanted to see.”
Conor McGregor to move up to 170lbs to face Nate Diaz at UFC 196
‘Motherf**ker!’ – The expletive-laden call-out that laid the foundations for McGregor vs. Diaz
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Conor McGregor Dana White mixed martial arts MMA Nate Diaz Options UFC UFC 196 Ultimate Fighting Championship