Nate Diaz guarantees Conor McGregor UFC trilogy happens

LAS VEGAS – Nate Diaz is confident that he’ll complete his trilogy with Conor McGregor.

Diaz handed McGregor his first octagon loss when he scored an upset submission in their 2016 welterweight bout at UFC 196. McGregor was able to avenge the loss when he edged him out by majority decision at UFC 202.

Diaz is not currently under UFC contract, but Dana White said the octagon is always Diaz’s home if he’d like to return. McGregor, on the other hand, will return from an almost three-year layoff to face Michael Chandler on June 29 at UFC 303.

Diaz envisions standing across the octagon from McGregor again, as well as a few other familiar foes.

“I 100 percent guarantee I’m going to fight Conor McGregor again,” Diaz recently told reporters, including MMA Junkie. “I 100 percent guarantee that I’m probably going to fight Jake Paul again, this f*cking f*cker (Jorge Masvidal) again, and Leon Edwards again. That’s my hit list.”

Diaz, who suffered a doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to Masvidal in their 2019 BMF title fight, will run things back with “Gamebred” in a 10-round, 175-pound boxing match June 1 at Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

He had high praise for UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, who was also on his hit list. Edwards was cruising against Diaz when they fought at UFC 263 until he was stunned with less than a minute remaining. He survived to win a unanimous decision.

“The coolest thing right now from the UFC is Leon Edwards,” Diaz said. “That’s what I got my sights on. I like that fight right now. I think he’s doing great. I think he got better, and he’s doing better. Good attitude, good fighter, I think he’s probably the best thing in the UFC right now.”