UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor has lashed out at rival Nate Diaz, criticising his former opponent for lending his support to retired boxer Floyd Mayweather.
McGregor and Diaz faced off twice last year, with each man picking up a win in two memorable encounters. Following his win over Diaz, McGregor went on to win the lightweight title against Eddie Alvarez, and speculation has raged about a possible showdown with Mayweather in the future.
The former boxer recently released a clip of a video call between himself and Diaz, in which they both aimed shots at the Irishman. Speaking during a pay-per-view interview (h/t Damon Martin of Fox Sports), McGregor made his feelings on the discussion clear:
Nate’s a (expletive). Nate’s a (expletive) (expletive). Let me tell you why. I had the biggest respect for Nate and I still have big respect for Nick (Diaz), he’s out doing his thing, but when he took that phone call, that video call off [Mayweather] and was like ‘hello, Floyd’s fans’ and he was Floyd’s (expletive) that night.
I was like you (expletive) (expletive). You absolute (expletive).
McGregor added that when Mayweather asked Diaz about his submission win over the Notorious, he should have told the former boxer to “shut your (expletive) mouth, I’ll strangle you, too.” The Irishman went on to suggest the Stockton fighter was “Floyd’s employee that night.”
Per Jonathan Bradley of Fox Sports, Mayweather told Diaz he was going to “put the finishing touches” on McGregor should they meet.
Although talk of a potential superfight between the two men has been dismissed as fantastical in the past, both camps have reiterated there’s a desire to make it happen.
Mayweather, who retired from the sweet science in 2015 after a perfect 49-fight career, told Sky Sports recently that “most likely the fight between me and [McGregor] will happen.” McGregor has also expressed a belief the bout will eventually take place, per Shaheen Al-Shatti of MMA Fighting:
McGregor’s rise in the UFC has been a rapid one. In beating Alvarez, he became the first person in the history of the company to hold two championship belts at the same time, although he has since been stripped of the featherweight crown.
Diaz, meanwhile, hasn’t been in action since his loss to McGregor at UFC 202 in August. Per Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, during the same interview, the Notorious also stated a third fight with Diaz will likely happen.
“Nate and I will throw down again—100 percent Nate and I will finish it,” he said. “It’s one apiece. We’ll finish it off, and I imagine it will be for the lightweight world title.”
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