Daniel Cormier is adamant that UFC 300 deserves a headline bout with more flair, suggesting Conor McGregor's return could be paired with a more compelling story.
While a Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad rematch has been considered, Cormier believes it lacks the necessary backstory and intensity for the landmark event on April 13 in Las Vegas.
“What I will say about UFC 300, it’s missing a big fight,” Cormier said on “DC & RC.” “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. So, it can’t be Belal Muhammad and Leon Edwards because it just doesn’t have enough to it. While it’s a fantastic fight, it doesn’t have enough to it for it to be the main event.”
Nate Diaz posted an image of him face to face with McGregor in the octagon, hinting that he’s ready to settle their trilogy. Cormier is advocating for a trilogy fight between McGregor and Nate Diaz, emphasizing the potential for a significant audience draw given the history and rivalry between the two fighters.
“Regardless of who he would fight, the attraction comes with him,” Cormier said. “But if McGregor fights Diaz, that is what I believe draws the general fan in as much as anything that they could do in the UFC right now – just because of Nate Diaz and the intrigue, the way the first fight played out, the way the second fight played out. It is still two of the highest-grossing pay-per-views in UFC history.
“These two men, when you put them together, make a lot of money, and it is far enough out there to be considered an attraction. I also believe at this point in their careers, sure, Nate Diaz isn’t the guy that he was before. He’s not the guy that fought the most beautiful striking exhibit against Michael Johnson in Florida, where he went and (said), ‘Conor McGregor, you’re taking everything I worked for.’ He’s not that same guy, but neither is Conor McGregor.”
Nate Diaz hasn't been in an MMA bout since his victory over Tony Ferguson in September 2022, marking the conclusion of his UFC contract. Although he left the UFC, there's a potential for a return, as UFC CEO Dana White has expressed openness to it. Diaz participated in a boxing match against Jake Paul last September, resulting in a unanimous decision loss.
Conversely, Conor McGregor's last fight was in July 2021, where he suffered a leg injury TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in their trilogy matchup.