Nate Diaz: UFC Disrespected Me After Conor McGregor’s Loss
Nate Diaz did the unthinkable at UFC 196 when he beat current UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor by second round submission. Diaz recently spoke with ESPN and revealed that he feels disrespected by the UFC and fans.
“I feel like, honest, I feel like the UFC wants to weed me the f— out of this position,” Diaz told ESPN.com. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to say that. Sorry. I feel like a lot of people are coming at me now. I see them making a lot of excuses for him, and I think it’s kind of ridiculous.
“I don’t think it’s just the UFC. It’s everybody. People are saying, ‘Oh, [McGregor] is great, he’s accepted the loss so well.’ If I would have lost, people would be saying, ‘piece of s— shouldn’t have accepted the fight.’ I don’t mean to be bitter, but there are a lot of excuses being made for this guy. He’s talking about winning the first round. There are five rounds in a fight. Who gives a s— if you won a round? You lost.”
McGregor predicted that Diaz will fight UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos next for the title. However, UFC President Dana White is thinking Diaz vs. UFC welterweight champ Robbie Lawler is a better idea. Diaz wants to fight for the lightweight title and explained why.
“I’m thinking probably the lightweight title fight, whatever is biggest,” Diaz said. “The biggest thing with Lawler and GSP — I would have been all about those fights, and I am, but at the same time, my brother [Nick] is coming back, and those are his fights. Those are Nick Diaz fights. I’m not trying to step on his shoes. We’ll see how things play out. As far as rematches go, I lost close decisions and never got a rematch.
“I’m not asking for anything. I’m demanding more than everybody. I want more than everybody, straight up. Money talks. I want the biggest fight. Whoever I’ve got to fight — the biggest show, biggest payday — that’s what I want.”
For McGregor, he will compete at UFC 200 in his first featherweight title defense.
