Nate Diaz to return from two-year absence vs. Dustin Poirier at UFC 230

Nate Diaz’s comeback fight is a whopper.

Out of action for two years, the popular lightweight will return to action on Nov. 3 when he fights fellow fan favorite Dustin Poirier in the co-main event of UFC 230 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, sources confirmed with MMA Fighting’s Marc Raimondi.

The Los Angeles Times was first to report the bout, which is expected to become official at a press conference on Friday.

Diaz (19-11) has not fought since losing a majority decision to rival Conor McGregor at UFC 202back on Aug. 20, 2016. The 33-year-old native of Stockton, Calif., made a disclosed $2 million payday from that grudge match and has been content to sit on the sidelines since as rumors swirled around who he might fight next and when.

A trilogy bout with McGregor seemed likely as Diaz owns a submission victory over the Irish superstar, but instead he will face the surging Poirier, who hinted on social media on Thursday that good news was on the way.

Poirier (24-5, 1 NC) recently settled the score with Eddie Alvarez at UFC on FOX 30 after their first meeting ended in a controversial no-contest. In the rematch, Poirier defeated Alvarez by second-round TKO. Excluding the no-contest, Poirier has won eight of nine fights in the UFC’s lightweight division, and though he was angling for a title shot, a high-wattage matchup with Diaz at MSG appears to have proven intriguing enough for Poirier to sign on the dotted line.