A lot of folks in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community believe lightweight veteran Nate Diaz was foolish to demand $20 million for a Conor McGregor rubber match, after splitting a pair of bouts at UFC 196 and UFC 202.
They’re right, he should have asked for no less than $30 million.
That’s according to longtime boxing coach Richard Perez, who told the boys at Submission Radio it’s time for UFC to stop playing favorites and start sharing the wealth, especially when Diaz — the last man to defeat McGregor — is the most lucrative fight to make.
His words:
“I know (Diaz) wants to fight McGregor cause that’s the only money-maker right there. I mean, Dana White offered him fights, but you know, come on. I mean, you’re gonna give him chump change? He’s worth more than that. And so he’s waiting for McGregor. And McGregor wants to fight him too, so now that this (Mayweather fight) is over with, let’s do it. UFC’s making a whole lot of money, a whole lot of money and they’re pocketing it. They’re giving more to McGregor, so it’s not fair because it takes two in that ring to draw a crowd – I mean, a good two fighters. It’s just like Mayweather when he fought Berto. It was not even sold out at all. It was embarrassing. It’s because that guy couldn’t draw a crowd. See, that’s what I’m saying, it’s the fighters that draw the crowd, and Nathan and McGregor, third one would be outstanding. Everyone knows that. So he needs to get paid at least $30 million easy.”
Now who’s the dirty con man?
McGregor is unquestionably the highest paid fighter in MMA, but still made less than half of what Floyd Mayweather banked in the wake of their boxing match last weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada (payouts here).
But a helluva lot more than anyone in UFC makes.
Whether or not McGregor and Diaz collide for a third time remains to be seen, as there is still plenty of work to do in the lightweight division, which includes an interim strap and a oft-injured foe in Russia.
And you thought this request was outrageous ...
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