Nate Diaz doesn’t share the same sentiments many had following UFC 257.
Diaz isn’t giving Dustin Poirier much credit for his stoppage win over Conor McGregor on Jan. 23. Diaz (20-12 MMA, 15-10 UFC) believes the result had more to do with McGregor not fighting well than Poirier’s efforts o win.
“I thought that Dustin Poirier was pretty owned the whole way through, and I think Conor dropped the ball,” Diaz told ESPN in an interview released Tuesday. “I thought that it was playing into … I don’t know, it was just a big old joke.
“(McGregor) was switching up his own role, playing up Mr. Nice Guy, but he was owning Dustin, and Dustin was just doing what he was told the whole way through. It’s just kind of corny, kind of funny to me. (I) think Conor had it going, but he just fell back to his same ways, (and) went in there, and I think he (expletive) up more than Dustin did anything good.
“I think it was less of Dustin doing anything great and more of Conor (expletive) up. That’s my personal opinion.”
Poirier did lose the first round to McGregor on all three judges’ scorecards but managed to connect good shots and leg kicks on McGregor, which played a big role in Round 2. Poirier seemed to slow down McGregor with calf kicks the second round, which enabled him to connect more on McGregor and eventually land the fight-ending combination.
Diaz, who last fought in November 2019 when he lost to Jorge Masvidal for the “BMF” title, wasn’t impressed with Poirier’s work in the octagon. He believes McGregor made a crucial mistake in starting too fast in the fight, and that was his downfall – not Poirier’s leg kicks.
“(McGregor) makes the same mistakes he always has,” Diaz explained. “He fought Dustin, and he landed all good shots. He’s dropping combos on him, and he was pushing the pace too hard like he had it in the bag, and he went in there throwing hard shots.
“He should’ve slowed it down. But it happens because he doesn’t want to be in there too long, and he just wants to go in for the kill and walk out. He should’ve slowed it down a little bit, but he pushed the pace, and he got caught sleeping. And the leg thing was a factor, but you (McGregor) were (expletive) up the whole time. That’s what I think of that fight.”
Diaz hasn’t competed in over a year and is angling to comeback, saying “now is the time.” The Stockton native wants to fight at welterweight and eyes bouts with lightweights Charles Oliveira or Poirier.
