Written by Matt Jones at Bleacher Reports.com
Following his loss at UFC 202, Diaz made his thoughts clear on a potential third tussle: “Hey, good job today, Conor, but we’re going for three,” said the Stockton, California, fighter, per the Guardian‘s Josh Gross. “For real. Until then I ain’t coming back.”
UFC President Dana White told TMZ Sports: “The war was fun and super successful, but I’m movin‘ on.”
The Irishman edged a thrilling bout by majority decision after five pulsating rounds in Las Vegas, avenging his loss to Diaz at UFC 196. After his latest victory, McGregor insisted he’d be happy to complete the trilogy against the American.
“If you want this trilogy, it’s on my terms,” he said afterward, per the Associated Press (via the Guardian). “I came up to 170 [pounds], now you’ll come back to 155, and we’ll finish what we’ve started. I knew what I had to do this time around, and I did it.”
It’s a fight plenty would like to see. The main event at UFC 202 was a contest for the ages, as both competitors put every sinew possible into securing a victory. There were spells when McGregor and Diaz were on top, respectively, but the former had an edge at critical points.
In the post-fight press conference, McGregor wouldn’t totally commit to any future plans. “There’s a lot of stuff in the pipeline,” The Notorious said, per Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting. “S–t’s about to hit the fan, so we’ll see.”
MMAjunkie’s Chamatkar Sandu believes both fighters should take some time before completing the trilogy:
Another fight with Diaz would raise questions about McGregor keeping hold of the featherweight title for much longer. He’s not fought in the weight class since December 2015, when he beat Jose Aldo, who is currently the interim champion. Per Helwani, the Irishman doesn’t think stripping him of the belt would be the best move by the UFC:
Had McGregor not got the job done at welterweight, he would have likely dropped back down to the featherweight division chastened by his foray into the heavier classes. This win over Diaz and the manner in which it was achieved means options will be plentiful for The Notorious.
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