Remember last week when word came out that Conor McGregor wanted a rematch with Nate Diaz for UFC 200? And that all that was needed was the official word?
Well, the word is now official.
Per ESPN, “UFC officials have confirmed” that a McGregor and Diaz rematch will take place on July 9 in Las Vegas at the newly built T-Mobile Arena. The two, of course, squared off at UFC 196, where Diaz handed McGregor the first loss of his UFC career. Dana White also confirmed the news on his Twitter account.
200 pic.twitter.com/S1EhF6PGZv
— danawhite (@danawhite) March 30, 2016
McGregor was originally scheduled to fight Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 200, which still would have been compelling since McGregor and dos Anjos exchanged some words via social media following McGregor’s tap out at UFC 196. However, dos Anjos had a foot injury and the fight was scrapped. Regardless, it’s safe to say McGregor’s rematch with Diaz carries a lot more weight at the moment in the same sense that Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm’s rematch carries a lot of weight. (Of course, Holm’s loss to Miesha Tate at UFC 196 puts a bit of a damper on said rematch.)
In any case, the McGregor-Diaz rematch has been working its way through the rumor mill for a few weeks, and now it’s coming to fruition. Long story short, UFC this summer is going to be lots and lots of fun. And the trash talking beforehand is going to be epic.
(ViaESPN)