Dana White has ruthlessly dismissed the prospect of Conor McGregor’s ideal fight timeline coming to fruition.
McGregor, who has been sidelined for almost three years following back-to-back defeats to Dustin Poirier, had floated the idea of a trilogy fight against Nate Diaz.
However, when questioned about McGregor’s return and the potential Diaz bout at UFC 306 during the UFC 299 post-event press conference, the UFC president was quick to quash any immediate hopes for such a fight.
“I’m looking for Mexicans [to fight] at The Sphere on Mexican Independence Day. Yeah, no, I’m not doing that fight,” White said, according to Sportbible.
Despite McGregor’s eagerness to re-enter the octagon for a bout against Michael Chandler this year, an official announcement remains pending.
At 35 years old, McGregor has voiced his displeasure over the UFC’s inaction, stating his desire to compete against Chandler before potentially facing Diaz in September.
“I wish for [that Diaz fight] on Mexican Independence Day in the Sphere,” McGregor wrote on social media. “Chandler, June. Diaz, September. I have let this be known.”
McGregor and Diaz faced off in two monumental UFC fights in 2016, with Diaz securing a surprising victory in their first encounter at UFC 196 by submitting McGregor with a rear-naked choke.
In a rematch five months later, McGregor avenged his loss by narrowly defeating Diaz by decision at UFC 202, subsequently clinching the division’s championship twice by overcoming Eddie Alvarez that November.
Diaz’s future in combat sports remains uncertain following his venture into boxing during the summer of 2023, where he was defeated by YouTube sensation Jake Paul.
