Nate Diaz Next Fight: Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington or Conor McGregor

Nate Diaz Next Fight: Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington or Conor McGregor

Who will Nate Diaz fight next? That is the question on the minds of MMA fans all over the world after the Stockton-bred brawler defeated Anthony Pettis in dominant fashion at UFC 241.

Coming into UFC 241, many had doubts that Diaz could beat Pettis after a three-year absence from the cage. Any and all concerns quickly disappeared when Diaz systematically dismantled Pettis for three consecutive rounds en route to a unanimous decision win.

Naturally, all everyone wanted to know after the bout was who would be next for Diaz.

Jorge Masvidal seems like a reasonable choice, given that Diaz more or less called him out after the Pettis fight.

“You’ve got to recognize who is the best and who the best in the game is…and it’s not who they’re saying it is…it’s who I’m saying it is,” Diaz said. “It’s the guys that have been in here forever and who are still on top of the game. Pettis just knocked out [Stephen] Thompson, who was just fighting for the 170 title a whole bunch of times. He fought Pettis and Pettis knocked his ass out real quick. Who’s the real baddest in the 170 division?

“They were trying to pump up dude [Ben Askren] and then Masvidal goes in there and knocks his ass out. I started fighting in 2004 I think…and then he’s been around since then and maybe a little longer. He just did that and I just did that, so that’s the best fighter to me; the best martial artist that’s still on top of the game,” he continued.

“Now we’re fighting for the ‘Baddest mother—er in the game’ belt and that’s mine…I’d like to defend it against Jorge Masvidal. Baddest mother—ers, that’s how we’re going to do this.”

The prospect of Diaz fighting Colby Covington was also brought up, given that he will be next in line to challenge for the welterweight belt.

“Who is it?” Diaz answered, when Covington’s name was brought up.

“Colby Covington.”

“What weight?”

“Welterweight.”

“I don’t know who that is,” Diaz said. “If we got somebody good to fight, that’s who I want to fight. That’s what I’m saying. You’ve got to do something. If you’ve been here for two weeks and get a little hype show, I don’t give a shit.”

If not Masvidal or Covington, there is always the chance that Diaz will square off against Conor McGregor. The pair has famously fight twice already – with each man claiming a victory over the other. Diaz did not have much to say about McGregor after UFC 241, given that he was likely tired of waiting for him over the past three years.

Nevertheless, with Diaz’s standing as high as it has been in years, it would not be particularly shocking to see McGregor call out his old foe for a trilogy fight.

Anthony Amador

A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.