Daniel Cormier backs Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz Trilogy at UFC 300

31 January 2024

In a recent episode of ESPN MMA's DC & RC podcast, UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier expressed his support for a potential trilogy showdown between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz at the highly anticipated UFC 300 event scheduled for April 13, 2024.

Cormier and co-host Ryan Clark delved into the UFC 300 fight card, highlighting Nate Diaz's recent tweet featuring a photo from his first encounter with McGregor. The tweet sparked speculation about Diaz's potential return to the UFC and a rematch against the Irish superstar at the landmark UFC 300.

Reflecting on past monumental events, Cormier drew parallels to UFC 200 in July 2016, which was initially set to feature his anticipated lightweight heavyweight title bout against Jon Jones. However, the bout was canceled due to Jones testing positive for banned substances. Cormier emphasized that despite the buzz surrounding his bout with Jones, it was the addition of Brock Lesnar to UFC 200 that elevated it to extraordinary status.

Applying this analogy to UFC 300, Cormier indicated that McGregor's return to the octagon, initially rumored against Michael Chandler, could be surpassed in significance by a trilogy bout against Nate Diaz, offering a considerably more lucrative matchup.

While discussing the rumored welterweight title fight between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad, Cormier argued that it lacks the necessary backstory and bad blood to headline UFC 300. He proposed the McGregor-Diaz trilogy as the perfect main event, emphasizing the need for a marquee bout with a compelling narrative. Cormier explained:

"What I will say about UFC 300 -- it's missing a big fight. That big fight that it's missing has to have a backstory. That big fight has to have bad blood. That big fight has to bring the eyeballs."

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Acknowledging the aging athletic prime of both McGregor and Diaz, Cormier underscored their unique status as megastars capable of drawing substantial pay-per-view numbers regardless of the opponent. He contended that their trilogy clash, given the intrigue from their previous encounters, would capture the interest of fans and potentially become one of the highest-grossing pay-per-views in UFC history.