Nate Diaz calls for the UFC to ‘free’ Conor McGregor as Irishman struggles to book his first bout since July of 2021: ‘No one gonna help you but you’

MMA star Nate Diaz called on the UFC to ‘liberate’ his rival Conor McGregor as the Irishman struggles to book his long-awaited return fight.

McGregor, who broke his tibia against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, recently expressed his frustration with the promotion as he eagerly tries to step back into the Octagon.

On Saturday, Diaz took to X (formerly Twitter) to empathize with McGregor. Diaz reposted a quote from his enemy and related it to his own experiences.

“This was me for years before Conor even came along,” Diaz wrote. ‘They want you to die before you get out of these contracts, it’s up to you to make something of it. No one but you will help you.”

“Free Conor,” he continued. “It’s St. Patty’s day in this bitch.”

McGregor has not fought inside the Octagon since breaking his tibia in the summer of 2021

McGregor’s return fight is expected to take place against No. 6 lightweight Michael Chandler. The UFC had them coach opposite each other on a season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023, seemingly as a showpiece for the upcoming fight.

In December, McGregor announced he would fight Iron Mike during International Fight Week in July, but the UFC has yet to make this official. Earlier this month, he also revealed that he requested to fight Chandler in July and then conclude his trilogy with Diaz on Mexican Independence Day at the Sphere.

“I was hoping for a December date, then a January date, and then it keeps getting postponed,” McGregor said in the quote that Diaz reposted. ‘I lose interest and stop training for a while. Don’t stop (completely) stop training, I’m always training, but stop training completely and (start) drinking a little.

“So I’m going to go back, regroup, get fully tested and get ready to rock. The date will come and then I’ll be ready to rock.’

McGregor is expected to face Michael Chandler in his next fight as fans await his return

Diaz submitted McGregor at UFC 196 before McGregor avenged the loss five months later

Their rivalry started when Diaz called out McGregor before fighting him on short notice in 2016. Diaz, who replaced Rafael Dos Anjos, shocked the world by submitting McGregor in the second round.

Four months later, McGregor earned a majority decision win to even the score en route to capturing the lightweight title against Eddie Alvarez later that year.

In McGregor’s absence, Diaz left the UFC after winning the final fight in his contract against Tony Ferguson in September 2022. He has since boxed Jake Paul and was recently booked to box fellow ex-UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal on June 1.

McGregor has two fights left in a six-fight deal he signed before facing Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018. After returning from his boxing fight against Floyd Mayweather, the former champion lost to Nurmagomedov and won against Donald Cerrone before scoring a back-to-back TKO. defeats for Poirier.