Daniel Cormier hits back at Nate Diaz amid issue over UFC 306 return: ‘We’re not in the same stratosphere’
UFC Hall of Fame inductee, Daniel Cormier has hit back at former lightweight title challenger, Nate Diaz amid their ongoing feud over a potential return for the latter at UFC 306 in September – with the ex-duel-weight titleholder claiming Diaz is not in the same “stratosphere”.
Cormier, a former undisputed heavyweight and light heavyweight gold holder under the promotion’s banner, shared his thoughts on a potential Octagon return in September at the Las Vegas Sphere for a once-off event – billed as UFC 306 during Mexican Independence Day weekend.
And questioning if The Ultimate Fighter victor should even headline the event amid his interest in featuring at UFC 306 in a return to the promotion, Daniel Cormier revealed he had no interest in seeing Diaz fight in September.
“While the name value is exciting, Nate Diaz the fighter isn’t that guy anymore,” Daniel Cormier said. “He’ll get mad at me, and he might say something to me when i see him. I don’t know, I don’t really care. But we have to tell the truth. This isn’t the guy that beat Conor the first time. Nate has had moments. Against Leon Edwards, he had a moment. But outside of that, he got beat on the whole time.”
“Will I watch him on the pay-per-view card? Absolutely,” Cormier continued. “But to be the headliner, with all these great fighters that are deserving of that spot? I don’t think so. I don’t need to see that.”
Daniel Cormier hits out at Nate Diaz amid UFC 306 feud
And hitting out at Cormier’s comments, Diaz questioned the fighting ability of the ex-UFC champion, which the former immediately refuted.
“The reality is, one thing we will not do is compare myself to Nate Diaz, because it’s different levels,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Much different. I’m a champion. Two weight classes. I lost three times in my career. Four if you count the fight that was called a no-contest. Four times, two guys. We are on much different wave lengths, we are on much different planets.”
“We are not in the same stratosphere in terms of fighters,” Cormier explained. “We’re not. And it’s time for me to stop allowing people to attack or come at me in these ways when I’m doing my job.”
