There were rumors run rampant few weeks back about UFC 219 between welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and long-time lightweight contender Nate Diaz. With time there was no progress on continuity of UFC 219, it started to dissipate slowly.
Nate Diaz, who previously demanded sizeable $30 million to complete his trilogy fight with Conor ‘Notorious’ McGregor. Now he is willing to reduce the price in half to challenge Tyron Woodley because he doesn’t have a history of pay-per-view draw as Irishman proven already.
Diaz didn’t step inside the Octagon since his rematch with Conor McGregor back in August 2016.
As per Richard Perez, who serves as Nate Diaz’s boxing coach told Submission Radio, that promotion doesn’t want to pay Diaz his desirable money to fight Woodley.
“The UFC doesn’t want to give Nathan the money,” Perez said. “You know, ’cause what Woodley’s trying to do, he’s trying to get his name up there, and he wants to fight the best, so he wants to fight Nathan. But UFC doesn’t want to pay Nathan, so why fight him? We can fight McGregor (instead).
“I saw Woodley talking the other day about Nathan being scared, ‘scared homie,’ you know, but it’s not that. It’s not all about that because Nathan ain’t scared to fight nobody, it’s the money, and Dana White and the UFC doesn’t want to pay him. But he deserves it.”
Coach Perez says Woodley is pushing for UFC 219 to happen with Diaz, as Woodley believes it will do good business on pay-per-view. Woodley has been looking for big-money bouts after finishing his business with top contender Stephen Thompson recently.
“I mean, he says he signed his part already, Woodley did, and Nathan hasn’t, but there’s a reason,” Perez said. “Because, you know just as well as I do, Nathan is on top, and he needs to get paid what he deserves. He’s a people person. People want to see him, and he’s popular right now, just like McGregor. So why doesn’t UFC do it when they made big money on the show when Nathan fights and McGregor fights?”
“Even if Nathan fights Woodley it’s going to be up there because of Nathan,” he continued. “So they’re gonna probably make, oh gosh, pay-per-view is going to be just out there because they’re curious about what Nathan’s going to do with Woodley. So they’re making big money, they’re pocketing a lot of it. You guys know it too. Oh gosh, it’s ridiculous.”
Perez thinks two to three months will be the ideal time frame for camp before Nate Diaz returns to the cage. UFC should negotiate with him in order to make him fight again.
“15 million (dollars) easy. Easy. ‘Cause, I mean, he’s a star right now,” Perez said. “I mean, McGregor can’t even fight right now, he got suspended. And Woodley’s trying to fight everybody. He says McGregor doesn’t want to fight him; he says BJ Penn (sic) doesn’t want to fight him. He’s naming all these people that don’t want to fight him, you know, cause he’s trying to get his name, he’s trying to get up there, and nobody wants to (fight him). I mean, he’s got the belt. So what? The belt don’t mean nothing anymore. It’s about who you’re fighting (if you want) to make the money.”
Meanwhile, Woodley won the UFC welterweight belt with a first-round knockout (KO) of Robbie Lawler back in the summer of 2016.
Coach confidently, Diaz would win the 170-pound title against Woodley if they cross path.
“Well, to be honest with you,” Perez said, “I know Nathan would beat him because he’s not… Woodley’s – see, he’s fought guys like Robbie Lawler. Robbie Lawler wasn’t expecting that, he wasn’t expecting for Woodley to just come out and throw, and he kind of closed up a little bit, Robbie Lawler. Nathan won’t.
“Like I said, when he’s in tip top and not hurt, he’ll go out there and he’ll box him, he’ll outbox Woodley. Woodley, sure he’s fast, but he don’t have the reach, and Nathan’s fast too. Believe me, when he’s throwing combinations good, he’ll nail them. And if it goes on the ground, Woodley doesn’t have a chance.”
Do you guys think UFC should offer Nate Diaz what he is demanding?
