Dana White Wants Nate Diaz To Fight At UFC 200 On July 9

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White has fervently stated that Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor won’t be fighting at UFC 200 on July 9, although he would like McGregor’s opponent, Ultimate Fighter 5 champion Nate Diaz, to stay on the card.

Dana White Wants Nate Diaz To Fight At UFC 200 On July 9

White told TMZ this week that he believes Diaz, 31, still stands to make a hefty payday by fighting at UFC 200 even if he will no longer be facing the Irishman.

“Obviously, I would like to keep Nate (on the card),” White stated on Monday. “Nate stands to make a lot of money on 200, I’d like to keep him on 200 but that’s up to him.”

Diaz has said that he is only interested in fighting McGregor, 27, at UFC 200. He also tweeted out on Monday that he was going on vacation after rumors began spreading that McGregor was off UFC 200 and that there was no chance he was coming back.

“He’s not mad. He’s actually pretty cool about it,” White said regarding Diaz. “This is a fight that Conor was really obsessed with and Conor really wanted this fight and Nate was like ‘whatever’. The Diaz brothers don’t get excited about too much, they really don’t. Nate always ‘I just want to be in big money fights’. Nick wants to be in big money fights.

“Even though this big money fight did fall apart, he’s not crazy. He’s not upset.”

White also added that Diaz could virtually choose any other opponent besides McGregor at UFC 200.

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 27: UFC president Dana White appears during a media availability for UFC 200 at Madison Square Garden on April 27, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)