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14th Feb 2017

Nate Diaz should be smiling after one of Conor McGregor’s former foes issues challenge

Not surprised...

Ben Kiely

Everyone wants a piece of Nate Diaz.

Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey, Nick Diaz, Georges St-Pierre – these are all huge UFC PPV stars and for a variety of reasons, none of them have fights booked in the world’s largest MMA promotion.

After his back-to-back PPV smash-hits against the Notorious at UFC 196 and UFC 202, you can lump the younger Diaz brother into that bracket. The biggest problem with Nate is that he knows the UFC need him more than he needs the UFC.

When he was offered a fight against one of the greatest lightweight fighters in the history of the sport, Eddie Alvarez, the Stockton native issued his response on Twitter, in typical fashion.

Another one of Conor McGregor’s vanquished foes has announced his interest in a bout against Diaz. Top lightweight Dustin Poirier issued him a challenge in a recent interview with MMAJunkie Radio.

“I want Nate Diaz, how about that? Is he going to sit around and wait around for Conor (McGregor) and waste the prime of his life, the prime of his career, or is he going to throw some hands? That’s what I want to know.”

Poirier is coming off a very impressive decision win over veteran brawler Jim Miller at UFC 208. Miller is one of the toughest fighters on the roster and beat up ‘The Diamond’s leg so much that he could barely walk once the final buzzer sounded, but Poirier persevered and emerged with his hand raised. If Diaz won’t accept, he wants any top 10 fighter in the UFC’s most populated division.

“I want (Diaz), and I want Michael Chiesa. I want anybody in the damn top-10 who will take the fight. Before I fought Jim, I was trying to get these guys,” he said.

“I’m not going to rush into a fight here in a month, but I’m going to take the normal time. I’ll probably be out three months or so, working and getting better.”

Even with that generous time frame, Diaz probably won’t accept the challenge. It’s in the UFC’s best interest to have him inside the Octagon and he knows that. He’s not going to bend to their will. He’s going to do exactly what he wants to do and right now, that’s get paid.

Until the promotion are ready to splash the cash, he’s more than willing to sit on the sidelines for his third Red Panty Night.

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