NATEEEEE DIAZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LETSSS GOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, I just couldn’t hold that in anymore. Dana White called into the UFC Unfiltered podcast with Jim Norton and Matt Serra to talk about potential upcoming fights. He dropped bombs on us. I almost passed out and drove off the road. He mentioned multiple fights he wants to do, all including big-time names.
The biggest bomb he dropped was when he mentioned Nate Diaz vs. GSP. I’m sure you’ve heard about it by now because it turned into headlines everywhere. The most surprising thing wasn’t that these two will fight, it was the weight class in which they’ll fight. GSP is famously the greatest welterweight champion of all-time, and in his last fight went up to middleweight and won that belt. Nate Diaz, of course, fought Conor McGregor at welterweight but always wanted to make sure no one got it twisted, he’s a lightweight fighter. So, logically when these two were talked about fighting, everyone assumed it would be at 170 pounds in the welterweight division. Only Dana White turned all our heads when he said they want to book it at 155 the lightweight division. WOW!
GSP going from 185 to 155 in back-to-back fights would be unprecedented and frankly amazing. If there was another fighter trying to make this jump down I don’t think I’d believe he could do it. This is GSP we’re talking about here. Why wouldn’t he make that move? It would be the smartest career move GSP could make.
Think about it.
If he stays at welterweight he’d have to fight some tough guys for him. The champion Tyron Woodley, who GSP seems to be terrified of and avoiding like the plague, has been waiting for him for years now. Nick Diaz has always wanted the rematch. Darren Till is a fierce up-and-comer. These are all fighters that seem to be very dangerous for GSP to fight. If he goes down to lightweight think of the opportunities.
It seems he’ll start with one of the UFC’s all-time greats in Nate Diaz, but after him the options are endless. The forever talked about fight between GSP and Conor McGreor could finally happen. GSP vs. Khabib could be next. Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee are also right there in the mix. It’s the deepest division in the UFC, and adding GSP would just be a genius business move.
Dana said they’re aiming for August 4 in LA for this fight to be the co-main event for TJ Dillashaw vs. Cody Garbrandt. In Dana White’s “perfect world” August 4 would feature those two fights as well as Luke Rockhold vs. Alexander Gustafsson. That sounds like a perfect world to me.
I will hold off on breaking down this fight until it’s official. I don’t want to get my hopes up, but Dana doesn’t come out and talk about fights like that unless there’s a great chance of it actually happening. Let’s keep our fingers crossed as we wait for news to break.