“I have let this be known” - Conor McGregor targets Las Vegas Sphere for blockbuster trilogy clash against Nate Diaz
Conor McGregor wants Nate Diaz on Mexican Independence Day.
UFC 306 is currently slated to be held at the historic Las Vegas Sphere in September. As Dana White has stated, the event will be one of the most interesting in the company's long history. Beyond the fact that they will use aspects of the new venue, the card will likely be stacked.
Many names have been called to fight on the card as of late, including Diaz. The Stockton slugger famously left the UFC in late 2022 to fight Jake Paul in the boxing ring. Diaz suffered a unanimous decision loss to 'The Problem Child' last August but has shown interest in returning to MMA.
If Diaz returns to the UFC, he has a perfect opponent in the form of McGregor. 'The Notorious' is currently in training and hoping to compete this summer against Michael Chandler. If the bout happens, it would be McGregor's first since a trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
However, once the Irishman is done with Chandler, he wants to renew his rivalry with Diaz. In 2016, the two fighters had a pair of incredible bouts, splitting the series at one win apiece. In a recent fan Q/A on Instagram Stories, McGregor stated (via Oscar Willis):
"I wish for this [fight] on Mexican independence day in the sphere. Chandler, June. Diaz, September. I have let this be known."
Will Conor McGregor fight on Mexican Independence Day? Dana White opens up on UFC star's return
While Conor McGregor wants to fight soon, it seems that he's not aligned with the UFC.
As some fans likely remember, 'The Notorious' stated that he would fight Michael Chandler on June 29, months ago. As McGregor has now revealed, the second part of his plan is to fight Nate Diaz in September at UFC 306.
However, that doesn't mean that Dana White is on board with the plan. Last month, the UFC President appeared on The Pat McAfee Show, where he was asked about Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler. In the interview, White provided pushback on the June 29 fight date.
Instead, the UFC is eyeing the lightweight bout for the fall. While the fight itself would be fun, that does take McGregor out of the running to headline the Mexican Independence Day event against Nate Diaz.
Last month, White stated (via Forbes):
“Eventually [the fight will happen]. Hopefully this year. There is no date. I’m hoping for the fall. [Hopefully] we get it done in the fall.”
Check out his comments below: