Burly Brazilian UFC titleholder Rafael dos Anjos suffered a broken foot in training, forcing him to pull out of the richest fight of his professional career, a champion-versus-champion bout against Conor McGregor.
UFC officials confirmed the widely speculated rumour on Wednesday morning. And as soon as word got out that McGregor needed an opponent for the marquee UFC 196 main event in Las Vegas next Sunday, a host of fighters began lobbying to compete in the multi-million dollar bout.
The UFC eventually settled on lightweight action fighter Nate Diaz to join the star-studded double main event, which is bolstered by a UFC women’s bantamweight championship bout between Holly Hom and Miesha Tate.
The McGregor versus Diaz bout is set to take place in the 170-pound division – 25-pounds above the weight class McGregor currently holds championship gold in.
“I swear to God, he said, ‘I’ll fight anyone.’ He just doesn’t give a f***.” UFC president Dana White told Yahoo Sports, speaking of his most bankable pay-per-view star.
“People talk about this strained relationship between us and Conor, and he has a different style than I’ve ever seen, but I have never seen anyone like Conor. The closest was Chuck Liddell, but we’ve never had one like Conor. You think he’s not hurt? But when he says he’s going to fight, he’s going to fight no matter what.”
As we begin the 2016 season, the five-foot-nine Dubliner is re-defining success in the elite mixed martial arts promotion.
For years, we were conditioned to believe that the pinnacle of success was for a dominant champion to lord over a division, buzzsawing through every contender in his path.
McGregor plays by a different set of rules, though. The brash Irishman smoked Jose Aldo, the greatest featherweight of all-time, in 13 seconds last December, then immediately set his sights on making history, planning to add the UFC lightweight title to his already crowded trophy cabinet.
There was even a rumour swirling around the internet that if McGregor beat dos Anjos in the initially scheduled UFC lightweight title fight next weekend he was going to challenge welterweight king Robbie Lawler for a 170-pound title fight at UFC 200 in July.
For any other fighter on the roster that suggestion would be outrageous, but it seems like a real possibility in McGregor’s world.
More than anyone before him, McGregor dares to be great. With that comes greater risk, but also a greater chance for glory.
On the SBG Ireland poster boy’s journey to the wherever he pleases, every fighter within his weight range will be jockeying to get in position to fight McGregor. Plain and simply, they all have dollar signs in their eyes when they think about the high-profile clash.
“I’d change your bum life,” McGregor boastfully stated during a 2015 UFC press conference, addressing his fellow fighters.
“You fight me it’s a celebration. You ring back home, you ring your wife ‘baby we done it, we’re rich, baby. Conor McGregor made us rich! Break out the red panties! We’re rich, baby!”
It’s an arrogant statement from the UFC’s pay-per-view king, but at this stage, it’s hard to call him a liar.
Chad Mendes, who, similarly to Diaz, fought the ‘Notorious’ champion on short notice, had his disclosed purse bumped up to $500,000 – a big jump from the $96,000 he cleared for his previous fight.
Love it or hate it, McGregor is the money fight at featherweight, lightweight or welterweight right now, and everyone is just fighting for a lottery ticket.
Alex Wood
Roar Guru
I was listening to the Joe Rogan podcast with Bas Rutten and it came up in conversation that Jose Aldo made $5,000,000 US in his fight with McGregor, and that Dana White has estimated that McGregor will be the first MMA star to make over $100,000,000. Unbelievable, but credit to the young Irishman... He's captivated the world in a way that no other MMA athlete has to date.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
I guess as much as it would be nice to have Conor on every season of TUF but having Diaz and Conor at each other for 12wks of to would've been glorious. Shattered about RDS being injured and halting Conor's chance for 2belts and maybe later 3. But Diaz will be good. Only shame is only 10days of trash talking
Damien
Roar Guru
Unfortunately no matter who Conor fights there will always be people saying 'The UFC is protecting Connor from X' Conor beats Mendes and Aldo then takes on RDA which is absolutely crazy. After RDA smashed Cowboy, people say there is no way in hell that Conor takes on RDA because that is the worst match up for Conor. All of a sudden the UFC announces McGregor v RDA. RDA pulls out and Diaz steps in then it's the UFC is protecting Conor from Cowboy. So the UFC was protecting Conor from Cowboy by letting him fight the man that absolutely destroyed Cowboy ? There is no point Conor and Khabib fighting next week. Khabib v Fergusson is going to be a great headliner forUFC on Fox. No point ruining that card by trying to 'save' a PPV event that doesn't need saving. The money maker on that card is still going to turn up.
Damien
Roar Guru
Makes sense but much prefer this fight. I believe Diaz will genuinely throw down and will go down fighting if he gets beaten. Cowboy is a world class fighter however I think he chokes under pressure. The way that Cowboy lost against RDA didn't do him any favours. I don't believe these stories about fighters not being in shape. Fighters know that if you're in the mix for a fight to always stay in shape 'just in case'.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Just watched the press conference. Nate Diaz sounds like he has been hit in the head way too many times. Should retire after this pay cheque.
Dogforlife
Roar Rookie
Kaks too funny. He does have a penchant for red panties doesn't he. I think that has to be the 3rd different speech in 12 months that he mentioned them in. I too was all for Cowboy V McGregor. There is no doubt they are shielding Connor from serious threats as it would kill the juggernaut instantly much like the Rousey one was once Holly got her hands on her. They didn't want him to fight Khabib at 155 for that very reason. Although at least with this fight I'm happy to see either go nighty night.
Justin Faux
Expert
Nice call on the red panties, sir. I too felt that McGregor-Cerrone was the fight to make, but I think there was a feeling among UFC decision makers that this will be one of the few times they'll have a chance to make the McGregor-Diaz fight so they struck while the iron was hot.
Kaks
Roar Guru
"Conor McGregor is handing out lottery tickets" Some would say he is handing out red panties ;) Quick question Justin, do you not think it would have made more sense to have Conor vs Cerrone, who was in camp recently for the Cowboy vs Cowboy bout which he ended first round unscathed, than to have Nate Diaz who is obviously overweight (hence the fight being in the welterweight division) who has clearly not been doing any serious training in camp? Do you think Dana was trying to make it as favourable as possible for McGregor in hopes that he gets through this unscathed so he can fight RDA when he is back from injury?