Nate Diaz eyes Poirier or Oliveira, wants to fight twice in 2021
Nate Diaz wants to be active this year after not stepping into the Octagon in 2020, and he has two opponents in mind.
Diaz is eyeing a return against lightweight contenders Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira, he told ESPN's Ariel Helwani in an interview published Tuesday. But he wants to fight in the welterweight division or at 165 pounds, not at lightweight, which he called a "dead division."
The UFC star added that he wants to fight at least twice in 2021, with his first clash of the year taking place in April or May. He also said he'd be willing to compete up to four times.
"I'm not gonna play f------ nice guy like Conor McGregor just did with him," Diaz said of Poirier, whom he was scheduled to face in November 2018. "Conor just walked him right in for the taking. I think a fight with me would be more real, a more serious situation for him."
Poirier has options after beating McGregor in January. If he pursues a 155-pound title bout or a trilogy clash with McGregor, Diaz would happily square off with Oliveira, who's coming off a lopsided win over Tony Ferguson in December.
"I like the winners. ... I'm trying to fight the guys who are winning," Diaz said.
Diaz last fought in November 2019, losing to Jorge Masvidal by doctor's stoppage TKO.