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‘You’re Taking Everything I Worked for M**’- When Nate Diaz Called Out Conor McGregor to Start an Epic Rivalry

Published 12/19/2020, 1:28 PM EST

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Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor is one of the most epic rivalries in the history of the UFC. They fought at UFC 196 for the first time, with Diaz submitting ‘The Notorious‘. McGregor leveled the score at UFC 202, winning a decision in the rematch.

It all started 5 years ago on this day. Nate Diaz, a lightweight contender back then, called out the then featherweight king Conor McGregor after defeating Michael Johnson in a clinical performance. McGregor had just defeated Jose Aldo in 13 seconds, and his stock was higher than ever.

Diaz asked about his performance by Joe Rogan, who couldn’t care less about the post-fight interview. He went on to call out Conor McGregor, in what was one of the best callouts ever.

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It was a signature Nate Diaz moment. McGregor was originally scheduled to fight for the lightweight belt against then-champion Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 196. Anjos got injured as he broke his toe, opening the door for Diaz to step up to fight the Irishman and choked him out.

The build-up and trash talk was as epic as it could get. After defeating McGregor, Diaz delivered yet another classic post-fight interview. McGregor demanded an immediate rematch and avenged his first loss in the UFC at UFC 202.

‘The Notorious’ one, known for his knockout prowess, showed a new side of his game and outlasted Diaz over 5 rounds.

A trilogy fight between the two superstars is expected to take place down the line. But as of this moment, McGregor is refocused on title aspirations. And Diaz is out since his UFC 244 loss to Jorge Masvidal.

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Conor McGregor returns at UFC 257

The Irishman is on the verge of his highly anticipated return to the octagon. McGregor has been out since his 40-second knockout victory over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246. McGregor is set to rematch Dustin Poirier.

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It will be a fascinating watch, to say the least. McGregor is looking to recapture the lightweight gold at the moment. A win over Poirier will certainly help those aspirations.

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What did you make of Nate Diaz’s callout of Conor McGregor? Do you want to see McGregor vs Diaz 3 down the line?

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Written by:

Apratim Banerjee

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Apratim Banerjee is an MMA author for EssentiallySports and has been writing professionally for almost a year. Before his current gig, Apratim worked as a UFC writer for Sportskeeda. A long-time MMA fan, Apratim has developed a critical eye for the sport that has helped him transfer his vast knowledge to his copies and give hardcore and casual readers a detailed insight into the fights and fighters.
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