"If I had to design somebody to bring the best out of Conor..." - when John Kavanagh claimed that Nate Diaz is the perfect opponent for Conor McGregorÂ
Conor McGregor's feud with Nate Diaz is one of the most loved and well-documented parts of MMA history.
The rivalry has blossomed into something special, with McGregor's coach John Kavanagh believing Diaz to be the perfect opponent for the Irishman. He told Joe Rogan in an episode of the JRE podcast that the attributes that Diaz possesses inside and outside of the cage have made him the ideal matchup for McGregor.
"It's such a great personality matchup. It's such a great skill clash. You know, if I were to design somebody that's going to bring the best out of Conor, you'd want someone that can hit back and take a big shot and put up with the trash talk."
Check out the clip below:
Despite being born on opposite sides of the planet, there are clear parallels between the two fighters. Both seem immune to the effects of trashtalking, while being able to masterfully dish it out. Both are also south-paws that love to scrap.
The much anticipated return of Conor McGregor will unfortunately not be rewarded with a fight against Diaz it seems, as Diaz wants to fight sooner than McGregor will be cleared to return.
It would be a shame if the trilogy between these two icons of the sport is not able to be completed.
Conor McGregor back training at SBG Ireland amid return to the cage
Photos posted on Conor McGregor's Instagram last week showed the Irishman training back where his career began: SBG Ireland.
The gym, founded by his head coach John Kavanagh, would certainly have been happy to see McGregor's return. With a reported return date for early 2023, it will still be a while before McGregor is able to perform under the lights. However, a return to headquarters may have reignited an old flame within the Irishman.
A lightweight title fight between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev has been announced. Speculation of Oliveira waiting until McGregor's return has firmly ended, and the possibility of a third fight with Nate Diaz looks slim.
Potential McGregor fights against Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, or Tony Ferguson all seem like exciting prospects, but with so much time spent away from the cage, they all seem like dangerous matchups too.
Will Conor McGregor seek a tune-up fight for his return to shake off the ring rust, or will he jump the queue of lightweights that have patiently been waiting and fight for the title in early 2023? Only he knows.