With the cancellation of a welterweight rematch between Nate Diaz and UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor at UFC 200, the landmark card appears to be now missing a “big” fight that could serve as the main event.
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“It’s an unpopular decision, but it’s the right decision, ” White said. Diaz indicated he might not fight, either, though White said he was looking for an opponent for him.
“I am paid to fight”, he posted. White said. “A lot of these guys showed up here from different parts of the world – Brazil and New Jersey”.
“So as a gesture of good will, I went and not only saved that 10 million dollars in promotion money, I then went and tripled it for them”. And they’re here. It’s part of the job, it’s what we do here.
“We get criticized for bending too much to Conor, and we do”. All the UFC wanted was for him to help promote the event and shoot some commercials for it.
The pair had been due to meet again at UFC 200, but McGregor was pulled from the event on Tuesday over a refusal to promote it, tweeting on the same day: “I have made a decision to retire young”.
“I’m training to fight Conor McGregor at UFC 200”, he added. “I came to fight Conor McGregor and I don’t really have too much interest in anybody else”. However, he revealed it’s all-or-nothing and if he doesn’t face the Irishman, he’s going to “go on vacation”. “So I think me and Aldo should go at it for the real one”.
As expected, Conor McGregor was not in attendance for today’s UFC 200 press conference in Las Vegas. “There comes a time when you need to stop handing out flyers and get back to the damn shop”.
“I’ve been dodging all this for years and I’ve been in trouble for it. Let his do his thing, get his train on and get ready to fight”.
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Conor McGregor tweeted Sunday night that he is back on the UFC 200 card after a tumultuous few days between him and the promotion last week.
