Nate Diaz insists he is not bothered about getting back into the Octagon until Conor McGregor is ready to complete their trilogy.
The Stockton native has applied for a California and Nevada boxing licence and is staying in shape in case he gets the call for a big money fight.
However, he is not going to take any old scrap. Having banked a straight-up $2m and points on the PPV for UFC 202, Diaz is the most financially comfortable he has been in his whole life.
At The Buzzer caught up with Diaz in the gym and were treated to a conspiracy theory and a big claim.
“I don’t think the UFC want me in there anyway so I better stay out,” he remarked.
Diaz wants another crack at ‘The Notorious’ and insists he set a record during their UFC 202 clash, which McGregor won by unanimous decision.
“He has the record right now for getting hit in the head more times than anyone ever in the UFC and I set that record.”
An interesting claim but one not backed up by the Fight Metric stats. Diaz did land 107 head significant strikes to McGregor’s head but it is way down on the 141 Robbie Lawler landed on Johnny Hendricks at UFC 171. Interestingly, Lawler lost that fight by decision too.
.@NateDiaz209 has a few new messages for @UFC champ Conor McGregor.
“I’m the only one who beat his ass.”@anezbitt has more. pic.twitter.com/3FLIjPkJxx
— AtTheBuzzer (@TheBuzzerOnFOX) December 15, 2016
Diaz has dropped to 6th in the latest UFC lightweight rankings and would be best advised to take a fight during McGregor’s time away from the sport.
But Diaz likes to think he marches to the beat of his own drum. Time will tell.