Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz open to UFC rematch... at middleweight

Bloodyelbow.com

With Donald Cerrone’s proposed bout against Conor McGregor is unlikely to happen — weirdly due to card placement — the UFC is said to be currently looking for a different match up for Cowboy. If an exchange from backstage at UFC 235 is any indication, it looks like Cerrone is really down to compete at any weight.

ESPN’s Brett Okamoto shared a conversation between Cowboy and former opponent Nate Diaz.

Cowboy: Nate, when you fighting again?
Diaz: It’s not me. UFC doing it.
Cowboy: Well, just so you know, I’ll fight you.
Diaz: S—. We’ll do it at 185. I’m done cutting weight.
Cowboy: Okay.

Cerrone and Diaz originally fought back in 2011 at lightweight. Diaz beat Cerrone by decision at UFC 141, setting a record at the time by landing 238 significant strikes to just 96 from Cowboy (total strikes were 260-104). Max Holloway eclipsed that late in 2018, landing 290 significant strikes against Brian Ortega’s 110.

Diaz hasn’t fought since his rematch with McGregor in 2016. He was booked against Dustin Poirier at UFC 230, before the bout was scrapped a month before the event.

Cerrone on the other hand, is on a two fight win streak, with his last bout being an impressive return to lightweight last January.

Both Diaz and Cerrone are career lightweights who have fought as high as welterweight. While both seem interested in a rematch at an even higher division, it is highly unlikely the UFC would allow them to compete at middleweight. Apart from that, there’s also years of difficult negotiations with the UFC brass that they need to figure out, as Diaz alluded to earlier.