With several significant lightweight fights already set, including the just announced Anthony Pettis vs. Edson Barboza matchup, Nate Diaz is looking ahead to his next fight.
According to Wednesday’s latest UFC Tonight program on Fox Sports 2, Diaz wants to face Eddie Alvarez in his next fight. There’s a hold up to that happening, though, as Alvarez is reportedly holding out hope for a title fight, and wants to wait to see what happens out of March 5’s UFC 196 main event between Rafael dos Anjos and Conor McGregor.
Diaz got himself back into the conversation in December at UFC on Fox 17, defeating Michael Johnson in one of his stronger performances in recent years. As for Alvarez, he’s now edged out two straight decisions over Gilbert Melendez and the aforementioned Pettis.
Penick’s Analysis: Diaz-Alvarez is the fight that makes sense. Alvarez isn’t getting the next title fight at lightweight, he just isn’t, and though he wants to wait out the results of next month’s event, the Diaz fight is the one that works best right now. If Conor McGregor wins that title, he’s not defending it next, and if dos Anjos wins, he’s almost assuredly defending against the Nurmagomedov-Ferguson winner from UFC on Fox 19. Alvarez is out of the mix until he gets a more decisive and entertaining win than what he got in his last two wins.
[Photo (c) Mark J. Rebilas via USA Today Sports]
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