It seems it’s not just Conor McGregor that is set to make a UFC comeback this year as the Irishman’s long term foe, Nate Diaz, gets set to step back inside the Octagon later this year, ending a two year hiatus from the sport.
First reported by The Los Angeles Times, it is understood that the UFC have booked Nate Diaz vs Dustin Poirier in a lightweight bout for UFC230 at Madison Square Garden, New York, with the event taking place on November 3rd. It is expected that the bout will be formerly announced at a press conference in Los Angeles this evening.
Diaz hasn’t fought since losing to McGregor at UFC202 back in August of 2016 and had previously hinted that he would only consider a return to the Octagon for the rubber match with McGregor, however that fight was becoming more and more unlikely due to the UFC’s thirst for a mega-bucks lightweight title showdown with current champ Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Poirier has been on a tear since losing to McGregor in 2014 and the 29 year old Louisiana man has now positioned himself as a legitimate title contender. With Tony Ferguson still recovering from surgery on his knee, the winner of Diaz vs. Poirier is likely to be given a shot at the title following the McGregor vs Khabib fight. That appears to be the carrot that has excited Diaz enough to lace up his gloves again.
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