Nate Diaz vs Jake Paul: Is the Ex-UFC Star Going To Face Conor McGregor After the Mega Boxing Fight?

There are some trilogy fights etched in the memories of UFC fans. The likes of Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic and Georges St-Pierre vs. Matt Hughes come to mind, which defined the UFC. While rematches are common, trilogies are rare. Both fighters have already measured their opponent and are aware of the limits of their rival. Customarily used to settle the debate of who is a better fighter, trilogy fights hold a certain pull. However, there remains one trilogy that excites fans and pundits alike but is yet to be made: Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz.

Time and again, the fight has been floated, but it never comes close to fruition. Notably, ‘The Notorious’ and the favorite son of Stockton have faced each other twice in the UFC, both of which shattered PPV records. They first met at UFC 196, and it was Diaz who came on top as he made the Irishman tap out. The thrill only peaked in their rematch when McGregor exacted revenge six months later at UFC 202. The 1-1 score demands a trilogy, but are they close to signing a contract?

Will Nate Diaz fight Conor McGregor after a boxing match against Jake Paul?

After the Stockton Slapper defeated Tony Ferguson and completed his contract with the UFC, both fighters hinted at a potential fight down the line.

“That trilogy will happen at some stage for sure,” the Irish fighter declared earlier this year. Diaz resonated with the same sentiments when he told Inside Fighting, “It’s for sure going to happen at some point”. Despite the pair’s willingness to trade blows, the timing hasn’t been right.

‘Mystic Mac’ has been on a long layoff since his leg injury against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. That became a hurdle when the UFC approached Diaz for a potential fight. “They wanted me to fight him [Dustin Poirier] to kill time for Conor [McGregor] to heal up and come back, and then they wanted me to sign for another fight with Conor,” Diaz revealed.

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With the 38-year-old pursuing his boxing career now, the chances of their trilogy fight have taken a hit. But it appears the Dubliner is not letting the idea fade away although Diaz faced Jake Paul in his boxing debut.

Conor McGregor insisted Nate Diaz UFC trilogy will happen after his ‘nonsense’ boxing debut against Jake Paul

The SBG Ireland representative recently turned to his social media handle and chalked down his future action of fighting. First, he wants to claim the BMF title, which now belongs to Justin Gaethje. Then he wants to put it on the line with Diaz.

Calling Diaz’s boxing fight against the younger Paul brother “nonsense,” the 35-year-old wrote, “Regardless of that nonsense match me and Nate will be completing the trilogy. I am going to grab that BMF belt right quick for us to compete for it in the trilogy.”

The strategy is plain for McGregor, but his woes with USADA have been a cause of trouble. His trouble with USADA has popped up as his biggest hurdle. But it appears he might have another potential opponent in sight, Jake Paul.

Jake Paul: Conor McGregor makes sense after Nate Diaz, but ‘I don’t know how serious he’s taking fighting’

‘The Problem Child’ didn’t shy away from entertaining the possibility of him fighting the UFC cash cow recently. In an interview with MMA Junkie, Paul revealed he saw McGregor as his next stop after he was done with Diaz.

He said, “When I knock out Nate Diaz and do what Conor [McGregor] couldn’t, it only makes sense for him to want that money fight.” However, he remained skeptical about whether McGregor was zealous enough about fighting now. He continued, “I don’t know how serious he’s taking fighting at all”.

The outcome of Diaz vs. Paul might provide a hint of where Diaz is heading next and whether the stars will collude to give fans their much-awaited trilogy fight.

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