Will Nate Diaz still fight at UFC 230 after Poirier's withdrawal? Dana White gives update
NATE DIAZ will not fight at UFC 230, the promotion’s president Dana White has confirmed.
Stockton native Diaz was scheduled to make his long-awaited return to the Octagon next month in the co-main event of UFC 230, which takes place at Madison Square Garden on November 3.
However, the 32-year-old’s much-anticipated comeback fight against the in-form Dustin Poirier fell through in the early hours of the morning.
ESPN first reported the news that Poirier, who has won four of his last five bouts, had suffered an unknown injury and had been forced to withdraw from the card.
Initially, there were suggestions that Diaz could remain on the card if the UFC brass found him a suitable replacement.
However, White has revealed the Ultimate Fighter season five winner won’t be in action at 'The World's Most Famous Arena.'
“(Diaz) also will not fight on the card,” the UFC chief told Lance Pugmire of the LA Times.
With a fight against Poirier off the table, Diaz has seemingly set his sights on facing lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who saw off Conor McGregor this past weekend.
When asked what’s next for him by ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, Diaz said: “I’ll just fight Khabib when he’s ready.”
(Diaz) also will not fight on the card
Diaz, 19-11, hasn’t set foot inside the Octagon since his UFC 202 bout with McGregor, which he lost via majority decision.
According to White, the fan-favourite’s long hiatus from the cage was down to him turning down multiple fight offers.
Diaz dismissed that notion shortly after the announcement of his bout with Poirier, insisting a dispute with his former management team was the reason for his time away from the Octagon.
“I was getting sued from my last fight,” Diaz told TMZ immediately after the announcement of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor.
“Some guys trying to claim management on me. I wasn’t eligible to fight until about a month ago.”
Diaz then dismissed the notion of his time on the sidelines correlating with his desire for a trilogy fight with McGregor, saying: “No. But Diaz White failed to mention that to the world.
“Conor had a lawsuit because of Showtime and (Floyd) Mayweather and all that s**t.
“And he was like, ‘Conor’s not eligible to fight. So he can’t fight right now.’
“He had his back like that. But now they’re saying I turned down fights all year long too.
“And then I was like, ‘Okay, if you’re going to keep doing that.’ And then they offered me the (Tyron) Woodley fight.
"And I was like, ‘Alright, if we’re going to fight for a title and get this money right then let's do it and I’ll pay my difference in court to get the f**k out of this lawsuit and get back to the grind.’”