Dana White gave a brutal response to Conor McGregor after the Irishman called out Nate Diaz for another fight.
White put on another successful show at UFC 299 on Saturday night in Miami, which concluded with Sean O’Malley defeating Michael Vera to retain his bantamweight title in a decision victory.
The promotion will now look forward to a historic UFC 300 event at the T-Mobile Arena in mid-April, but some of its fighters have already been looking a little further forward.
McGregor, who is yet to secure a return bout since he broke his left tibia and fibula against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, had expressed his interest in fighting twice this year, including one bout against old rival Nate Diaz.
Following Saturday’s event, the question of whether fans could see the trilogy of the heated 2016 rivalry was put to UFC boss White, but he was quick to shut down any suggestion the bout could be made.
Dana White (pictured) has given a brutal response to Conor McGregor saying he wants to fight Nate Diaz
McGregor held a Q&A on Instagram and expressed his desire to close out the trilogy with Diaz
Diaz (right) submitted McGregor (left) in their first meeting and the Irishman won the rematch via decision
‘Yeah, I’m not doing that fight,’ White told reporters in the press conference, putting to bed any rumours that he was keen to seen the two do battle one final time.
McGregor seems set to face Michael Chandler this year, but the fight is still yet to be confirmed with the Irishman expressing his frustration at a lack of action in the sport.
He has expressed his desire to take on Chandler for a number of months, but it seems the bout is making little progress in terms of being confirmed for this year.
‘I wish for [that Diaz fight] on Mexican Independence Day in the Sphere,’ McGregor wrote on social media this week. ‘Chandler, June. Diaz, September. I have let this be known.’
McGregor emphasised wanting to fight Chandler at UFC 303 during International Fight Week.
On New Year’s Eve, he posted a video announcing a supposed 185lb bout against Iron Mike at the week’s culminating pay-per-view event.
McGregor and Chandler’s clash was foreshadowed with a season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023.
McGregor is keen to reignite his vicious rivalry with Diaz and finally complete their trilogy
McGregor and Michael Chandler (right), meanwhile, served as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter in 2023
The pair served as opposing coaches in the UFC’s reality show, seemingly to parade McGregor’s highly-anticipated return.
Diaz, meanwhile, beat McGregor via submission in March 2016, before the Irishman got his revenge and won the rematch via decision in August.