Conor McGregor is backing old rival Nate Diaz to win his crunch clash with Jorge Masvidal this weekend - setting up a trilogy fight between the pair.
McGregor outlined his UFC comeback plans in Moscow last week with the winner of this weekend's UFC 244 main event on his radar.
There were doubts over whether the bout would go ahead before UFC released a statement confirming Diaz had been cleared of any doping violations after a discrepancy on a drug test sample was flagged by USADA.
Diaz has twice stepped into the Octagon with McGregor, stunning the Irishman by submission in 2016 before being beaten by decision in August.
He returned from a three-year lay-off to beat Anthony Pettis in August - and McGregor is now expecting Diaz to emerge victorious again against Masvidal.
“I think Diaz beats him,” McGregor told MMA Fighting.
“He’s got crisper boxing, way more experience. I think Masvidal’s had a good run, he’s had a two fight win streak.
"The game is very forgetful I believe, our sport is, I think Diaz has enough in him to do it.
“I think he’s in a better space. You’ve got to factor that in, what kind of space is the fighter in because everyone’s the best on their day. I think Diaz beats him.”
Masvidal heads into the fight off a two-fight win streak.
He stunned British ace Darren Till in London in March before recording the fastest knockout in UFC history with a flying knee on Ben Askren in July.
