Conor McGregor is movin' on up ... in weight class. With Rafael dos Anjos sidelined by a foot injury, Nate Diaz stepped up to take on the featherweight champ March 5, at UFC 196. Dana White broke the news on Sportscenter.
"A lot of people wanted to fight Conor McGregor...we figured this would be the most exciting fight," White said. "It's the fight that Conor really wanted."
Let's not forget, it's a fight that Nate Diaz really wants too. After his last win over Micharel Johnson on December 19, Diaz had this to say about a potential McGregor fight (strong language warning):
The weight change will add an interesting wrinkle to the matchup. Both fighters will fight at 170, which means McGregor will actually move up two weight classes for the bout. If his Twitter is any indication, he isn't too worried.
God bless this hard work. I don't care about weight divisions. I'll run through everyone on the roster. #11Days http://pic.twitter.com/AAd25Rme73
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 24, 2016
"God bless this hard work," McGregor says in the post. "I don't care about weight divisions. I'll run through everyone on the roster."
That last bit might not be as far-fetched as it sounds. McGregor already got the OK to move up a weight class to contest RDA's title. When asked if an interim lightweight title bout could happen, Dana White gave an interesting response.
"Here's the kicker...he was moving up to 155 pounds to take dos Anjos' title, then there was talk about him moving to 170 to fight [welterweight champion] Robbie Lawler for his 170-pound title," White told ESPN. "This fight with Nate Diaz will be at 170 pounds."
Wait, was that some multiple championship foreshadowing from the UFC president? If not, a McGregor win next week will undoubtedly keep that story line alive. If that's not enough to keep you tuned in, there's also a sizzling co-main event in the works. Women's bantamweight champion Holly Holm is on quest to show that her huge upset win over Ronda Rousey last year was no fluke. She'll take on Rowdy's longtime nemesis Miesha Tate next week with huge implications for Rousey's scheduled return later this year.
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