Tag: Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz

Darren Till Insists He’s ‘Much Better’ Than Conor McGregor

Surging UFC welterweight Darren Till was one of the hottest rising contenders in the deeply talented 170-pound division throughout 2017. The Liverpool, England-based fighter truly blasted onto the scene by knocking out longtime veteran Donald Cerrone in the main event of October’s UFC Gdansk, a fight after which he deservedly began entertaining some potential big-name bouts. […]

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Surging UFC welterweight Darren Till was one of the hottest rising contenders in the deeply talented 170-pound division throughout 2017.

The Liverpool, England-based fighter truly blasted onto the scene by knocking out longtime veteran Donald Cerrone in the main event of October’s UFC Gdansk, a fight after which he deservedly began entertaining some potential big-name bouts.

A match-up with former title challenger Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson made the rounds, but the No. 1-ranked Karate wiz eventually said it wasn’t in his best interest to fight a lower-ranked, up-and-coming opponent. On the other hand, it would obviously give Till another sizable shot right up the ranks, something he told MMA Junkie wasn’t necessarily his goal.

For him, he knows he has a long way to go, so it was more of a challenge against one of the UFC’s best strikers in ‘Wonderboy’:

“I don’t feel like I’ve earned a title shot and, to be totally honest, I don’t even feel like I’ve earned a top-three spot. The only reason why I asked for ‘Wonderboy’ is because I think it would decipher who the best striker is (in welterweight division). But I don’t really care if it’s No. 1 or No. 10.

“He’s an excellent fighter, one of the best, and I don’t want to fight him for an easy route to the title, but because I want to test myself against the best. If he’s the guy to beat me and take all my momentum, then fair play to him. But I don’t believe he could do it.”

Even if Thompson is unwilling to face Till, the Liverpudlian striker already had another high-profile match-up in his back pocket, this time a pay-per-view (PPV) bout against fellow rising challenger Rafael dos Anjos in Brazil.

In his eyes, dos Anjos would be easy money despite his spotless track record as of late. Till believes a match-up with dos Anjos would be over in one single round, and that even UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor, who fights a weight class below the massive welterweight Till, would have destroyed dos Anjos.

With that established, Till said he was similar to the notorious Irish megastar, only ‘much better’:

“A pay-per-view against dos Anjos in Brazil would be huge, and I am totally up for it,” Till said.

“The great thing is, I would go there and beat him in a round because he’s designed for me and is just too scrappy on the feet. I think Conor McGregor would have absolutely annihilated him, and I’m twice Conor’s size. I’m also a similar fighter to Conor – just much better. I would kill dos Anjos, and I just don’t know what he’s doing in this division.”

Much of that confidence may lie in Till’s full knowledge that he’s simply much bigger and stronger than his competition. Walking at a reported out-of-fight weight of 210 pounds, Till fully acknowledged he was too big to keep fighting at 170 pounds forever.

Because of his overwhelming stature, Till said he plans on not only eventually moving up to 185 pounds but also to 205 in an effort to become an unprecedented three-weight champion:

“In all honesty, I am too big for the division,” he said. “You could see with Cerrone, and I know he’s a former lightweight, but I am huge at this weight. I’m going to spend some time taking over at welterweight, but then I will move up.

“People think I’m joking, but I’m also planning on going up to light heavyweight because I still have years to go and I’m going to continue to grow. I want to be a three-weight world champion.”

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UFC Champ Says He Won’t Avoid Defending Like ‘Afraid’ Conor McGregor

The MMA world is in a verifiable frenzy concerning UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor’s next move. With just about everyone invested in the sport wanting to know if and when he’ll return, the only one who doesn’t seem to care is “The Notorious” himself as he sits on a mountain of cash earned from his […]

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The MMA world is in a verifiable frenzy concerning UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor’s next move.

With just about everyone invested in the sport wanting to know if and when he’ll return, the only one who doesn’t seem to care is “The Notorious” himself as he sits on a mountain of cash earned from his boxing fight with Floyd Mayweather last August.

Even the most supportive McGregor fans are getting antsy, and the famed Irish slugger has yet to defend either of his titles since first winning the UFC featherweight belt from Jose Aldo in late 2015. A host of guaranteed-to-be-lucrative bouts awaits him if and when he does return, such as a unification bout with Ferguson or maybe his long-rumored trilogy match with Nate Diaz, even though that fight seems to be losing steam rather quickly.

As McGregor drags his heels, however, another UFC champion is wholly interested in getting the biggest fight he can, and he’s not shy letting those intentions be known. That man is UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw, who is currently campaigning for a super fight with dominant flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, a bout “Mighty Mouse” doesn’t seem to be all too enthused about.

Regardless, Dillashaw is still on the hunt for it because he views it as a chance to cement his legacy as one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best, a moniker Dillashaw told FloCombat (via MMA Mania) he believes was ripped from him when Dominick Cruz outlasted him with a controversial split decision two years ago:

“This is a way to put a stamp on my legacy. I was a little hurt losing that split decision [to Dominick Cruz] and not being on a 13-fight win streak and being called the pound-for-pound best in the world.

“In my mind, I should be No. 1. So it comes down to beating Demetrious Johnson to prove I’m the best, and it’s a huge thing for my legacy to be the double champ in two weight classes.”

A win over Johnson, who has racked up 11 consecutive title defenses to stand alone with the record, would certainly go a long way in cementing Dillashaw’s potential status as one of MMA’s top pound-for-pound competitors.

Of course, there’s always the issue of tying up two divisions to make it, which could especially become a problem in Dillashaw’s 135-pound roost, where a plethora of talented challengers awaits him. Dillashaw attempted to cool those concerns by stating if he was to win the 125-pound title, he wouldn’t be like McGregor and would instead remain active by defending:

“I’m not a Conor McGregor. I’m going to be active defending my belts. I’m not afraid to fight.”

He’ll have to procure the fight first, however, and with word arriving that “Mighty Mouse” underwent successful shoulder surgery today, it could be quite some time on the sidelines before he ever gets it – if he does.

Either way, the 135-pound king is looking to do what’s necessary to build his own exposure in an era of MMA where that’s absolutely necessary, and playing off the growing discontent with McGregor’s inactivity is one way to do it.

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Nate Diaz Confirms He’s ‘Back In Action’ On Social Media

It’s been almost 17 months since we’ve seen fan favorite Nate Diaz in the octagon, and that seems like a lifetime considering the pace the MMA world moves at. After losing a closely-fought decision to archrival Conor McGregor at August 2016’s UFC 202, Diaz immediately campaigned for a lucrative trilogy match but was rebuffed by […]

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It’s been almost 17 months since we’ve seen fan favorite Nate Diaz in the octagon, and that seems like a lifetime considering the pace the MMA world moves at.

After losing a closely-fought decision to archrival Conor McGregor at August 2016’s UFC 202, Diaz immediately campaigned for a lucrative trilogy match but was rebuffed by the UFC. That set off another long period of inactivity for the Stockton, Calif.-based brawler, who called for $15 million to fight “The Notorious” a third time.

But with that number obviously not going to be met, Diaz appeared to be pricing himself out of what would rate as the most high-profile bout of his up-and-down mixed martial arts career, and with McGregor now uncertain to return and facing potential fights with Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov if and when he does, Diaz’ chances of another monstrous payday are fading fast.

So he may be forced to step into other avenues if he wants to continue his fighting career, and today, it appears he’s open to just that. Diaz posted a photo on his Instagram of a recent training session with a caption that declared he was ‘back in action.’

Check it out:

Good work wit my boy @luke_1er Back in action #beast ??

A post shared by natediaz209 (@natediaz209) on

Based on this picture, Diaz is training for his rumored foray into the boxing ring, something that has been thrown about for a few months now.

After McGregor made a high-profile shift to the sweet science for his massive boxing match with Floyd Mayweather last summer, it’s hardly a surprise to see other MMA stars looking to get paid more for a competition that only focuses on one avenue of combat sports, and Diaz has always been regarded as one of the finest boxers in MMA.

There’s little doubt his debut in the sweet science would turn heads and inspire viewers, but with his asking price at an astronomical level, could he really approach the levels he was demanding for the trilogy match opposite McGregor?

He may need the Irishman to get paid like that, but in any case, fans will be excited to see their beloved Diaz back in at least some form.

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Khabib: Conor Only Wants Fight With Old Floyd & ‘Marijuana Guy’ Nate Diaz

After Khabib Nurmagomedov’s brutally dominant smashing of Edson Barboza in the co-main event of last weekend’s (Sat., December 30, 2017) UFC 219 from Las Vegas, “The Eagle” said he was willing to fight divisional champion Conor McGregor and interim champion Tony Ferguson on the same night. And with rumors of a potential bout with McGregor surfacing, […]

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After Khabib Nurmagomedov’s brutally dominant smashing of Edson Barboza in the co-main event of last weekend’s (Sat., December 30, 2017) UFC 219 from Las Vegas, “The Eagle” said he was willing to fight divisional champion Conor McGregor and interim champion Tony Ferguson on the same night.

And with rumors of a potential bout with McGregor surfacing, the dominant Dagestani is back with a new offer for the elusive Irish champ, who is currently on the sidelines reportedly seeking a promoter’s stake in his next fight.

Khabib told TMZ Sports (via Bloody Elbow) earlier today he would go as far as to fight McGregor for free:

Asked how much it would take to meet McGregor, Khabib said he would take the exact opposite path of “The Notorious’” long-winded contract dispute and fight for zero dollars because he’s here to fight for as long as he can:

“Zero. Zero, man. I don’t need money. I need only real fight. Fight for the title. I don’t fight for the money, I fight for my legacy, I fight for history, I fight for my people. That’s why I am here. Three rounds? I am tired about this. I need like 50, 60 rounds. I want to fight all night.”

Perhaps looking to make up for lost time from the numerous injuries holding him back the last few years, Khabib doubled down on his suggestion of fighting McGregor and Ferguson on the same night:

“This is what I want. I need Tony and Conor same night. Tony Ferguson and Conor McGregor, same night.”

As for the official champ, “The Eagle” said he no longer wants real fights after he participated in a long rivalry with “marijuana guy” Nate Diaz or an aging Floyd Mayweather in the boxing ring:

“Now, everybody forget about [McGregor] because he doesn’t want real fight,” Nurmagomedov said. “He fight with only like 45-years old Floyd Mayweather or marijuana guy who lose 10 times in UFC, Nate Diaz. You know, like this is crazy.

“He has to defend his belt.”

That’s what the entire MMA world is hoping, Khabib.

We just may not see it for several months – if ever again.

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Dana White Discusses Real Reason To Strip Conor McGregor’s Title

Although he recently declared that anyone who believed UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor should be stripped of the title “is a Conor hater” during a bizarre defense of his biggest star, UFC president Dana White began to change his tune today during an exclusive interview with Yahoo’s Kevin Iole. White stated that McGregor had until March […]

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Although he recently declared that anyone who believed UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor should be stripped of the title “is a Conor hater” during a bizarre defense of his biggest star, UFC president Dana White began to change his tune today during an exclusive interview with Yahoo’s Kevin Iole.

White stated that McGregor had until March to make his return known, at which point interim champion Tony Ferguson would face top contender Khabib Nurmagomedov in the spring and the winner would go on to meet McGregor to unify the belts. McGregor has supposedly targeted a summertime date sometime around August, but White said if that were the case, the UFC may have to move on and book Ferguson vs. Khabib for the official title.

His reasoning is now much more in line with the general consensus of much of the UFc fanbase, as even feversihMcGregor supporters have dubbed his inactivity insulting to the fighting spirit the UFC claims to embody. All of the sudden, White seems to agree that McGregor is holding up the division, and while that’s definitely costing the UFC huge potential paydays, White acknowledged it’s also costing the top fighters in the talented division a big part of their prime:

“Not only to the sport, but to the other fighters,” White said. “This is game of time. Time is your enemy in this sport, or any other sport. When you’re a professional athlete, time is your enemy, and we can’t let this thing go on forever and not give other guys the opportunity. Tony Ferguson has been around for a long time and has earned his dues, Khabib has earned his dues, and the list goes on and on.

“So, Conor has done very well, he’s made a lot of money, and if he decides that he doesn’t want to fight again for another, however long, that’s up to him. That’s his choice and his decision. But the belt has to move on, so we’ve gotta figure some stuff out about him in the next couple of months.”

Indeed they do need to figure out what to do with their biggest star, because even though they enjoyed the financial windfall of his boxing match with McGregor, it also clearly made him question if he ever wants to fight in the UFC again or not, and he might never return. He has the cash not to.

It’s also made him question his worth to UFC owners Endeavor, and with McGregor supposedly seeking an ownership stake of his own before he returns to the UFC, many are speculating that will keep him out of action for some time.

White believes an amicable deal will be met, however, noting that he’s Never been adverse to paying McGregor and is not right now.

To him, the question is if he actually wants to fight:

“I’ve never been afraid to pay Conor McGregor money. Conor McGregor brings the money in, and we’ve laid out a really nice offer for him, and he’s a smart kid. I think we’ll figure it out. I’ve always figured it out with him. I’ve always ended up getting a deal done with Conor McGregor.

“The question is, and you’re right, does he have so much money that he doesn’t care anymore and he doesn’t really want to fight? That’s up to him, but in no way, shape, or form am I asking him to come back and not make money, because he’s going to make money.”

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Dana White Unveils Timeline For Potential Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Match-Up

In most mixed martial arts (MMA) circles, it’s long been thought that when UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor returns to the Octagon – if he does return – it would be against interim champion Tony Ferguson. But with “The Notorious” galavanting about Europe and flaunting the newfound wealth of his $100 million payday to box […]

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In most mixed martial arts (MMA) circles, it’s long been thought that when UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor returns to the Octagon – if he does return – it would be against interim champion Tony Ferguson.

But with “The Notorious” galavanting about Europe and flaunting the newfound wealth of his $100 million payday to box Floyd Mayweather last year, it’s anything but a certainty that the Irish megastar will unify his title with “El Cucuy” anytime soon. It’s made for a messy lightweight title picture, to say the least – and that landscape only grew messier when top contender Khabib Nurmagomedov put on one of the most dominant performances of his dominant career against Edson Barboza at UFC 219 (Dec. 30, 2017) last Saturday night in Las Vegas.

McGregor is currently seeking some sort of ownership or promoters stake for his next fight, making his return seem more likely for the summer (hopefully) than for the spring. So that might mean we see the oft-scheduled Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov booked yet again for sometime early in 2018 according to UFC president Dana White, who told Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole that if McGregor is ready to fight early this year, they’ll book Ferguson vs. Khabib for March with the winner fighting the Irishman.

If he’s not, well, the UFC would have to wait it out and then make Ferguson vs. Khabib for the official title, something fans have been crying for quite a lot recently:

“Khabib looks like an unbelievable force and is a star in the making. As long as Conor is willing to fight by March, we could do Khabib versus Tony and then the winner fights Conor for the title,” White said. “Of, if Conor wants to sit out until next fall, then we’d have to make Khabib versus Tony for the title, not the interim title.”

That’s a lot that has to go right for McGregor to meet Nurmagomedov, a fight that’s arguably the biggest match they could make on the heels of Nurmagomedov’s big win, which came months after McGregor vs. Ferguson was the fight to make over McGregor’s fast-fading trilogy match with Nate Diaz.

Regardless, White said McGregor is looking to fight in August, but that’s too long for him to go without defending the belt and ‘can’t happen’:

“I love that matchup (against Nurmagomedov), but Tony Ferguson is the interim champion, and Conor and I haven’t really figured out when he’s coming back and what’s going on,” White said. “So Conor has some big decisions to make here, really quick. If he waits — I don’t think Conor wants to fight until August, but if he waits until August or September, that’s around two years since the belt has been defended, and that can’t happen.”

The controversial executive sounds like he’s finally beginning to “get tough” on McGregor, who’s earned an immeasurable amount of criticism for failing to defend either of his UFC titles since first winning the featherweight gold from Jose Aldo over two years ago.

However, the UFC needs bankable stars right now, and McGregor is clearly their biggest meal ticket, so they’ll more likely to talk a big game in the media while they wait on pins and needles for him to return and defend his belt.

So the saga goes on, with no concrete news in sight. Here’s to hoping fans don’t have to wait until September to find out.

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