Nate Diaz CONFIRMS blockbuster Conor McGregor trilogy fight plan as UFC icon gears up for Jake Paul grudge match

NATE DIAZ has confirmed he will have a trilogy fight with long-time rival Conor McGregor before he retires.

The MMA fan favourites, 38 and 35 respectively, took part in two of the most memorable fights in recent UFC history in 2016.

GETTY

Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor locked horns with one another twice in 2016[/caption]

GETTY

The pair’s series is level at one win apiece[/caption]

GETTY

MMA icon Diaz is adamant the pair will have a series decider[/caption]

Diaz handed McGregor his first octagon loss with a spectacular submission victory at UFC 196 but failed to do the double over the promotion’s poster boy in their rematch four months later.

UFC fans around the globe feared the pair would never settle their rivalry once Diaz left the promotion late last year.

But Diaz – who faces Jake Paul in a boxing match this weekend – insists they will dance again, telling The Nelk Boys it will “100 per cent” happen.

Former two-division champion McGregor hasn’t set foot inside the cage since breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier two years ago.

The Notorious is slated to throw down with Michael Chandler in his comeback fight later this year, although his absence from the USADA drug testing pool is seemingly delaying the fight.

McGregor, however, appears to have pivoted his attention to a grudge match with newly-crowned BMF champion Justin Gaethje.

Diaz could care less who the Irishman fights in his comeback fight but would like to see his old rival get his competitive juices flowing with an emphatic victory.

He said: “I’m ready to see him get back in there and do something cool too.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023

“[But] I don’t know if that fight’s gonna happen. I heard that [it’s not happening]. I don’t know.”

“It would be cool if he got back in there and handled some shit, that’d be tight.

“Not a lot of people are doing much in there. So it’s cool when people do better s**t.

“And better s**t different.”

UFC icon McGregor is excited at the prospect of renewing his rivalry with Diaz – albeit after he clashes with Gaethje.

He tweeted: “Regardless of that nonsense match me and Nate will be completing the trilogy.

“I am going to go grab that BMF belt right quick for us to compete for it in the trilogy.”