Bisping: ‘McGregor Will Smoke Nate Diaz’

Following Conor McGregor’s TKO-win over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246, everyone was wondering what he would do next. Dana White previously stated that if he was able to beat Cerrone, the opportunity to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in a rematch of their UFC 229 bout was in play.

McGregor (22-4) also has the opportunity face Kamaru Usman, Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. Former UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping believes the latter fight is the one to make. He also believes Conor would easily take out Diaz.

“I mean listen, [the fight with Jorge Masvidal] would do great business, but here’s my prediction,” Bisping stated to MMA Fighting. “I guarantee this is what happens with Conor next. He ain’t fighting Khabib, because Khabib’s fighting Tony [Ferguson] and then he’s got Ramadan, and Conor wants to fight again soon.

“He was talking about Nate Diaz, and Nate Diaz 3 will do big business. Conor will smoke Nate Diaz, because Nate Diaz has always been an average fighter; he just built his f*cking career on choking out Conor McGregor,” Bisping continued. The second fight he got beat, and now because of all his inactivity, Conor will smoke him. So in the meantime, we’ll get Conor-Diaz 3 and then he’ll fight Khabib later in the year. That’s my prediction.”

Diaz beat McGregor via submission in a last-minute bout at UFC 196. Conor won the second bout at UFC 202 via unanimous decision. Both fights were in 2016, and Diaz didn’t fight after until 2019 against Anthony Pettis. He ended up losing to Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244.

Usman, the UFC Welterweight Champion, has stated he would humble McGregor if they ever fought. After the Diaz bout, Masvidal has since stated that he would be interested in a fight against Conor, mentioning he would baptize him.

“Conor obviously has flirted with the idea of fighting, Masvidal stated prior to UFC 246. “And if me and Conor go into the Octagon, what happens? It’s one of the biggest fights in UFC history. Just by math.”

Bisping has taken these statements into account, as well as what type of fighters they are, when it comes to Conor. He believes Diaz is the safer fight, especially since McGregor isn’t a long-time member of the welterweight division.

“I think [Masvidal is] a bad matchup for Conor,” Bisping went on to say. “I think Kamaru is a bad matchup for Conor. He did great on the weekend and he beat Cerrone and he’ll beat Diaz, but they’re both 155’ers. Usman is a legit 170’er. He’s a big, strong dude that can take a shot, and he’s in his prime. It’s all well and good this narrative that he’s at 170. I don’t think anybody’s beating Usman any time soon, certainly not Conor.”