Nate Diaz Rejects McGregor, Poirier Fights, Demands Top-5 Active Opponents

3 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · May 11

Nate Diaz said he turned down fights with Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier because he will not serve as a comeback opponent for fighters coming off losses, injury or retirement.
McGregor was offered to Diaz despite a stronger financial package, but Diaz said he wants the trilogy only after McGregor returns from a 5-year layoff and proves himself again—potentially against Max Holloway.
Mike Perry fits Diaz’s standard better: Diaz said he chose Perry because the BKFC star is active and coming off knockout wins over Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez.
Diaz applied the same logic to Poirier, who retired after losing to Holloway in July 2025 and recently said a Diaz fight could bring him back.
Diaz said he wants only “numbered fights” against the best available opponents, arguing that top, active competition matters more than payday or name value.

Is Nate Diaz's 'best of the best' philosophy genuine or a savvy excuse for chasing bigger paydays outside the UFC?

By rejecting a vulnerable Conor McGregor, what will it now take for their legendary trilogy fight to finally happen?

Will Mike Perry's bare-knuckle violence translate against an MMA legend, or is he just a high-paying spectacle?