Chael Sonnen doesn't believe fans will ever see a third fight between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz.
Speaking with MMA Junkie, Sonnen assessed the current status of one of MMA's most anticipated trilogies for nearly a decade and concluded that the rubber match is never going to be possible due to the circumstances surrounding both fighters.
The talks follow Diaz's recent revelation that he was in talks with the UFC about a return, with a trilogy fight against McGregor being the centerpiece of those discussions. Diaz passed up the opportunity, saying he wanted to fight Charles Oliveira for the BMF title instead, and eventually accepted a fight against Mike Perry on May 16 on Netflix.
Diaz said that his reason for leaving McGregor was that he only wanted a trilogy when both men were moving forward, not when one of them was on the way out.
Chael Sonnen says Nate Diaz isn't cheating
Sonnen said, "Nate Diaz lives by a code, and you won't be able to escape it." "You won't bribe him, you won't pressure him. He lives by a code. It just gets complicated, but that's not his negotiating strategy. He's serious when he says, 'I don't want to fight Conor, Conor has been out for five years, and by the way, he's got a leg injury. Let him come back, get a win and then I'll come in.'
He said, "He wants to fight Charles Oliveira. Nobody wants to fight Charles Oliveira. Nate is serious." "And it's not just about Charles. It's not just a jiu-jitsu fight. It's the belt that escaped him. That BMF belt means something to him, and Charles is the guy to wear it. Nate is honest. Could he lose that fight to Mike Perry? Could the UFC lose interest in him over time? Of course. But that's not going to change Nate's mind."
Diaz and McGregor split their two-fight series in 2016, with Diaz handing McGregor his first UFC defeat at UFC 196, before losing the rematch via majority decision at UFC 202. The unresolved nature of that rivalry has kept speculation about a third fight alive for the better part of a decade, but both men's timelines are pulling in opposite directions.
Chael Sonnen predicts Conor McGregor has one UFC fight left
On the McGregor side of the equation, there is momentum building behind a return fight at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on July 11, which will take place almost exactly five years after he last competed against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 and suffered a broken leg.
Max Holloway has emerged as a potential opponent for that return. McGregor currently has two fights remaining on his deal, barring a new contract, putting him on a timeline that may not align with Diaz's leadership. Sonnen thinks McGregor has a limited runway left, no matter what he says publicly.
"My guess on Conor is we're going to get him another one, and I think we can really enjoy it," Sonnen said. "Now, if you talk to Conor, and I did, you'll get him at least three more times. He'll make some fights and box. I think we're going to get Conor for one more fight. I think we'll probably miss the trilogy. Sadly."
