Mayweather-McGregor is Dead, Diaz Rematch Finalized For 8/20
Nobody ever thought it was going to happen, but for whatever reason retired former five division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. was pushing the idea of a September fight with UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
That rumor is now dead, as the Ultimate Fighting Championship officially announced that a deal was finalized where McGregor will get his rematch with Nate Diaz at UFC 202 in Las Vegas on August. 20.
The UFC announced the matchup during the pay-per-view UFC 199 show at the Forum on Saturday night. Diaz posted one of the biggest upsets in recent UFC history when he beat McGregor by submission in the second round at UFC 196 in March. Diaz (19-10) won the welterweight bout and ended the 15-fight winning streak of McGregor (19-3), the UFC featherweight champion fighting 25 pounds above his usual weight.
The fighters and the UFC have sparred over the terms of the rematch. The UFC initially scheduled it for the historic UFC 200 card in Las Vegas next month, but scrapped it in a dispute with the Irish superstar.
Mayweather, who retired last September after winning a twelve round decision over Andre Berto, has been pushing the idea of a fight with McGregor for several weeks. He even stated during a televised interview on Showtime that McGregor was the only fighter he would unretire for.
There was always doubt and nobody took the negotiations seriously, especially with UFC President Dana White stating in numerous interviews that nobody from Mayweather's team had ever contacted him about fighting McGregor, who has an exclusive contract with the MMA company. There was unconfirmed rumors that Mayweather had offered McGregor $50 million, which the MMA fighter denied was true.
