It didn’t take long for Conor McGregor to react. Just hours after UFC boss Dana White officially unveiled Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane as the UFC 321 headliner, ‘The Notorious’ jumped on social media to share his thoughts.

But this time, it wasn’t a dig, a rant, or a wild callout. Instead, McGregor kept it simple and respectful. So, what did he say? And what does this mean for the UFC heavyweight division moving forward?

The Irish MMA icon’s message came via his Instagram story, where he reposted the update by ‘The Mac Life’ announcing the new title fight. The caption? “@danawhite = GOAT”

Three words. One clear message. The post shared by McGregor read, “The new era of heavyweight begins in Abu Dhabi! Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane meet for the heavyweight championship.” And for fans, that line hit hard because after months of delays, uncertainty, and Jon Jones’ ghost hovering over the division, there’s finally some clarity.

For Ciryl Gane, this might be the last shot at redemption. He’s already fallen to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones in his quest for the undisputed heavyweight crown. Another loss, and the championship door might shut for good. But with three wins in his last four, including a controversial split decision over Alexander Volkov at UFC 310, he’s back in the conversation.

Meanwhile, Tom Aspinall, who hasn’t fought since July 2024 when he defended his interim heavyweight crown against Curtis Blaydes, finally gets to begin his reign atop the heavyweight mountain. Now, after Jones’s abrupt retirement, the British powerhouse finally gets the stage he truly deserves.

As for Conor McGregor, let’s be honest, he doesn’t hand out compliments easily. The Irishman’s comment might seem simple. But in many ways, it reflects the larger shift in the UFC heavyweight scene. A new era has begun. And with stars like Aspinall leading the charge and McGregor watching closely, the spotlight will only grow brighter. But what about ‘The Notorious’s own return to the Octagon?

Conor McGregor gets called out by Nate Diaz for a trilogy bout

While fans are buzzing about heavyweight gold, there’s another storm quietly brewing. Nearly a decade has passed since Nate Diaz stunned the world at UFC 196. Remember the short notice submission win? And then the all-time great one-liner, “I’m not surprised, motherf—-!” That night lit the fuse on one of MMA’s greatest rivalries.

The two met again at UFC 202, and McGregor evened out the score with a majority decision win. Now, Diaz wants to settle things, once and for all.

On a recent episode of the Out Cold show on YouTube with UFC legend Chuck Liddell, the Stockton native stated, “If I could fight anybody right now, I would fight — with all due respect to them — if Conor McGregor came back. S—, Conor McGregor. ”

That wasn’t all as he further added, “There ain’t nobody else to fight, really, right now. I would like for him to come back and impress everybody first. Not that he needs to, but it would be great to see him back. Everybody’s hating on him. I’d like to beat up somebody on top of the world, and I think he’s got the capability to do that.”

McGregor hasn’t fought since 2021, when he suffered a brutal leg break against Dustin Poirier. His much-hyped return against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 fell apart when he pulled out weeks before fight night.

Diaz hasn’t exactly been grinding in the Octagon either. His last UFC appearance was a farewell submission win over Tony Ferguson in 2022. Since then, he’s tried his hand in boxing, losing to Jake Paul, then beating Jorge Masvidal in a rematch of their BMF bout in the squared circle. Still, the draw between him and McGregor remains massive. No title required. No hype machine needed.

With Conor McGregor tipping his hat to Dana White and Tom Aspinall stepping into the spotlight, the UFC is clearly moving forward. But Nate Diaz’s callout reminds us that some stories refuse to end quietly. The McGregor-Diaz trilogy still holds weight.

So while UFC 321 promises fireworks in Abu Dhabi, fans can’t help but wonder: will Conor McGregor finally answer Nate Diaz’s call and give the fight world the closure it’s been craving? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!