Nate Diaz demands Dana White book him a ‘retirement fight’ with Poirier in a huge blow to Conor McGregor UFC trilogy
NATE DIAZ plans to RETIRE from mixed martial arts after a grudge match with Dustin Poirier.
Fan favourite Diaz has one fight left on his contract with the MMA leader and has been champing at the bit to get back into the cage.
The Ultimate Fighter season five winner has had his sights set on a showdown with Poirier for several months.
And he plans to bring down the curtain on his legendary career after finally sharing the cage with The Diamond.
He told TMZ: "I would like to fight Dustin Poirier, like now Like I’ve been trying to.
"If there’s any mix-up, it’s him and them and the game. I want the fight now. What’s up?
"Dana White, let’s get this retirement fight cracking so I can get out of this fight game. I’m done with it.”
Former interim lightweight champ Poirier is very much keen on the fight and is hoping the UFC book it for the summer.
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He said: "I think there's a good chance it's gonna happen this summer.
"I think summer is a good target, if I had to put one on the calendar. But I think it's gonna happen."
Diaz and Poirier were due to throw down two-and-half- years ago at UFC 230 in New York.
A hip injury for Poirier, however, laid waste to their eagerly-anticipated Madison Square Garden showdown.
Diaz's plans to retire after facing Poirier could mean MMA fans won't ever see a trilogy fight between himself and bitter rival Conor McGregor.
The pair, 36 and 33 respectively, took part in two of the most memorable fights in UFC history in 2016, with Diaz winning their first encounter and McGregor edging their second.
Diaz and McGregor have repeatedly traded verbal jabs in the years that have followed their UFC 202 classic.
MMA vet Diaz hasn't set foot inside the octagon since his UFC 263 defeat to Leon Edwards last June.
McGregor, meanwhile, has been on the sidelines since breaking his left leg in his UFC 264 rubber match with Poirier last July.
Former interim 155lb titleholder Poirier was last in action last December at UFC 269, where he suffered a third-round submission defeat to undisputed champ Charles Oliveira.
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