After a productive meeting with Conor McGregor earlier this week, UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta and UFC President Dana White visited Nate Diaz in Stockton, Calif., on Friday to discuss that rematch.
According to several accounts, things did not go well.
TMZ Sports reported Friday evening that White stormed out of their lunch meeting after a short time, and though the three men posed together for a photo later on in the day (see below), there seems to be some significant work that needs to be done.
Texts from Dana White (@danawhite): (on status of the rematch) Wasn’t a good day. (on visiting Stockton) I’ve been to worst places.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 20, 2016
According to a report from MMAFighting.com, the fight isn’t dead just yet, and they’re targeting August 20 and a headlining slot on UFC 202 for the bout. It’s not clear what the exact hang up is, and none of the reports have anything concrete as of yet.
Penick’s Analysis: If Nate Diaz is holding them up for more money, he’s absolutely in the right to do so. He should use whatever leverage he can to get as much out of them as he can for this rematch. He got a significant payday on short notice for the first fight because McGregor and the UFC thought he’d be easy fodder. He wasn’t, and with that win he’s got as much more more leverage than McGregor now into the rematch, because it’s McGregor who desperately wants to avenge that loss. The UFC wants to make that happen, and Diaz is more than happy to take the fight a second time. However, wanting to be compensated very well for that fight is a reasonable move on his part.
[Photo (c) Mark J. Rebilas via USA Today Sports]
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