"The problem with the rubber match is Diaz is a 170 pounder. He's a massive guy. Conor is a very talented guy, he's very, very good. Every time he goes out there he looks better... [But] we should have never done it in the first place. That's what weight classes are for. They wanted to do it, we did it. They wanted to do it again, we did it again. They're 1-1. There's only so many of those wars you can be in in your career. It takes a lot out of you. Some guys go into wars like that and they're never the same after it. Look at Meldrick Taylor when he fought Julio Cesar Chavez. He was never the same after that fight. We've had those type of fights too. I believe that Rory MacDonald was never the same after the Robbie Lawler fight. That fight ruined him. I don't want to do that to someone special like Conor McGregor. It's just not right."
Dana on Protecting Conor
trekrider215
New member
Backstory? So how exactly did this shit transpire to begin with? Was it like an expo match if there weren't weight classes or something? I don't really follow mma, but I see a lot of your posts and some of them are very interesting even to non mma fans.
drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
Always follow the money... that is the bottom line.
Sorry to keep you hanging on context bro! It all started at UFC 196 where Featherweight Champ Conor was supposed to fight Lightweight Champ Rafael Dos Anjos. Dos Anjos pulled out 11 days before the fight and Nate stepped up to take the fight, which he'd recently called for here:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QqUIdJhjZZk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
The fight took place at 170lbs despite Nate being a 55'er and Conor being a 45/55er, because it was such short notice there was no way Nate could cut the weight in time.
Nate wins, they run it back at 170lbs again and Conor wins. Throughout it all Nate was often touted as being FUCKING HUGE and it was just amazing Conor could overcome so much a massive disadvantage blah blah blah.
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dana has been quoted numerous times saying he's in favor of a trilogy fight, yet recently came out with the quote in this thread that would lead one to believe Dana is protecting conor from nate.
with specific regard to the original quote, this article should provide a bit more context and clarity.
Those clamoring for a rubber match between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz will have to channel their anticipation elsewhere.
In a Thursday appearance on "The Michael Kay Show," UFC president Dana White waxed nostalgic on the pair of instantly classic welterweight bouts between McGregor and Diaz that took place at UFC 196 and 202. The marquee matchups may have yielded fireworks, record-breaking pay-per-view numbers, and the greatest rivalry in recent memory, but those feats still aren't enough to convince White they were meant to be.
"The problem with the rubber match is Diaz is a 170-pounder. He's a massive guy," White said, according to MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew. "Conor is a very talented guy, he's very, very good. Every time he goes out there he looks better ... (But) we should have never done it in the first place. That's what weight classes are for. They wanted to do it, we did it. They wanted to do it again, we did it again. They're 1-1."
Contrary to White's claim, Diaz has spent most of his career at lightweight - which McGregor now calls home - and is widely considered undersized for the 170-pound division. Regardless, the UFC president doubled down on his reluctance to pit the Stockton scrapper against the reigning 155-pound king for a third time, fearing another war between the two would render "The Notorious" a shell of his otherwise dominant self.
<article class="ember-view article-content font-body copy-text" data-no-turbolink="" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; line-height: 23px; max-width: 100%; color: rgb(31, 31, 31); padding-right: 80px;">"There's only so many of those wars you can be in in your career. It takes a lot out of you. Some guys go into wars like that and they're never the same after it. Look at Meldrick Taylor when he fought Julio Cesar Chavez. He was never the same after that fight. We've had those types of fights too. I believe that Rory MacDonald was never the same after the Robbie Lawler fight. That fight ruined him. I don't want to do that to someone special like Conor McGregor. It's just not right."
</article>
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also, really cool to hear you find some of the MMA related posts interesting, thanks man!
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