Nate Diaz may be out of the UFC right now, but he is still interested in returning to the Octagon, and is particularly keen on one fight in particular.
Speaking with MMA Junkie, Diaz said that he was confident that he and Conor McGregor would share the cage again to complete their fighting trilogy one day.
"I don't think about it like that, but regardless of (the trilogy), I would like to get the third fight with Conor," he said.
"I think it's inevitable. For sure, we'll be fighting."
Diaz and McGregor enjoyed a spectacular rivalry during a golden era for the UFC, with the pair swapping wins in Las Vegas in 2016.
First, Diaz stunned, then submitted McGregor at UFC 196 at the MGM Grand Garden to hand the Dubliner his first UFC loss before coining the now-infamous phrase, "I'm not surprised, motherf*****s!"
But, in a thrilling rematch at UFC 202, McGregor tied the series at 1-1 with a majority decision victory over Diaz after five back-and-forth rounds at the T-Mobile Arena.
A trilogy fight seemed like a slam-dunk booking for the following year, but with McGregor becoming a two-division champion at UFC 205, then taking a two-year leave of absence from MMA that included a blockbuster boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr., the unfinished business with Diaz was swept to one side.
When McGregor did eventually return, his sights were set on regaining the lightweight title that had been stripped from him during his absence, but his bout with then-champ Khabib Nurmagomedov ended in another defeat for the Irishman, leading to another lengthy hiatus.
Diaz, meanwhile, defeated Anthony Pettis and Tony Ferguson, and lost to Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards before departing the UFC to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the boxing ring.
Diaz revealed that the UFC had made moves to potentially lay the groundwork for a trilogy bout with McGregor, by offering him the chance to coach opposite the Irishman on the current season of The Ultimate Fighter. Diaz declined, leaving the role open for Michael Chandler, who is set to face McGregor – USADA clearance permitting – toward the end of the year.
"They did (approach me), but I never wanted to do 'The Ultimate Fighter,'" he said.
"I wasn’t interested in doing that."
He also had positive words for the man who took that coaching spot, saying, "Chandler is real tough and explosive and a crazy young guy.
"I don’t know how old he is, but I think Conor is better than Chandler. But Chandler, you’re great, too."
