This would make a lot more sense.
As tantalizing as a Diaz vs. McGregor rematch was when the report emerged last weekend that the fight was in the works for July’s UFC 200, fans were left baffled at why it would be contested at 170 lbs.
It was easy to understand why the initial meeting, at UFC 196, took place at welterweight given the short notice acceptance of the bout from Nate Diaz but why would the UFC’s featherweight champion and the 5th ranked lightweight in the world agree to fight at a weight class in which they don’t truly belong?
Diaz all but confirmed that talks are underway for the rematch on Wednesday night but, interestingly, may have let slip that he would prefer to cut to lightweight so that he could shut Conor McGregor up.
Before the broadcast of UFC Tonight began, Diaz’s microphone was picked up and he can be clearly heard telling Karyn Bryant, Kenny Florian and Michael Bisping that “and now I’m like trying to do the 155 lb thing because I’m like ‘I don’t want to hear it no more.’
“If he wants to come up weight classes, I’m a lightweight. And everybody’s backing him up.”
In the run-up to UFC 196, McGregor insisted that he acquiesced to have the fight take place at 170 lbs after Diaz had requested a catchweight fight but Diaz has always rejected those claims, claiming that it was McGregor’s camp who wanted the first bout to take place at welterweight.
But even when the broadcast of UFC Tonight got underway, Diaz made sure to point out that he wants to fight ‘The Notorious’ at lightweight to eliminate any doubt that the fight was decided by a disparity in weight rather than a difference in skill-set.
“If there’s a second fight, whatever. I’ll fight at (155),” Diaz said. “I’d like to be in shape and be cut up and not have to hear it out of the fans and the people. Not even the fans but the guy (Conor McGregor), I don’t want to hear no excuses.
“I’ll make 55. I planned on making 55 the last time. We’re going to have to see if they want to run it back and then we’ll see.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwnKjHX89vk
