Nate Diaz has a massive fight against Jorge Masvidal for the BMF title this coming Saturday night at UFC 244, but he’s also found time to say a few words about his old rival Conor McGregor, and they were surprisingly complimentary.
“He understands all about the real s*** too though,” Diaz said of McGregor in an interview with ESPN.
“I could hear when I fought him, when I fought him I was like, ‘Oh you’re really trying to get into a fight, you recognise the real fight game; we got something on our hands here, a real fight’.
“That’s what drew the trash into that fight, the realness of that s***. There’s nobody like that in the fight game, it’s becoming a sport, it’s f****** silly, and when you’re sticking around, still winning in this and getting hold of that mic, people can’t help but acknowledge and agree with you, because you just proved it on a stage.
“It’s all the real truth of the game, and the truth shall set you free.”
Diaz’s comments come after McGregor stated his belief that his old rival will get the better of Masvidal this weekend in New York City.
“I think Diaz beats him,” McGregor told MMAfighting.com.
“He’s got crisper boxing, way more experience. I think Masvidal’s had a good run, he’s had a two fight win streak.
“The game is very forgetful I believe, our sport is, I think Diaz has enough in him to do it.
“I think he’s in a better space. You’ve got to factor that in, what kind of space is the fighter in because everyone’s the best on their day. I think Diaz beats him.”
Given the mutual respect between them, a trilogy fight seems like a strong possibility in the coming year, though it remains to be seen what effect the outcome of UFC 244’s headliner will have on how people view that particular match-up.
