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Conor McGregor UFC news: McGregor to face Woodley at welterweight?

Noriel See Saturday, January 07, 2017

Nate Diaz moves in with a punch against Conor McGregor during UFC 196 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. | Reuters/Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

It's no secret that Conor McGregor wants to take some time off after he took the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight belt away from Eddie Alvarez in their last bout. UFC president Dana White had insisted that the new lightweight champion was going to be out for 10 months, but McGregor said he might be back sooner. So, whom will he face in his comeback fight?

Comedian Joey Diaz was a guest on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast recently and he said (via the Daily Star) McGregor was going to fight UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in his next bout. "That's already been made as a thing. That's going to come together," he stated. "That was already established in New York. That's the first fight, that's the fight they're going to put there at 170lbs maybe in May," he added.

Before fight fans get too excited, it should be noted that Diaz is not a UFC insider, he's a stand-up comedian, so just take this with a little pinch of salt as of the moment.

Well, undefeated lightweight contender, Khabib Nurmagomedov, isn't going to be pleased if McGregor takes another fight in the welterweight division. In an interview with the MMA Hour (via the Daily Star), Nurmagomedov blasted the Irish fighter for never defending the belts he had won.

"You know, he never defended his belt. He never defended his belt in Cage Warriors, he never defended his belt in the UFC," he said. "He's all the time jumping and playing games because he has good pay-per-view (buys). That's why he has power in the UFC," he added.

Nurmagomedov thinks McGregor may fight at welterweight when he comes back, and he isn't sure if he will ever fight the newly crowned lightweight champion. "50-50. I think 50-50," he said.

Meanwhile, UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes that the fight that's going to generate a lot of buzz is between McGregor and the other Diaz brother, Nick. Diaz wants to fight a big name fighter in his comeback fight, and McGregor certainly fits the bill. That's one fight mixed martial arts (MMA) fans would love to see.