Dominic Cummings advises Nate Diaz over UFC future and Conor McGregor trilogy

Nate Diaz has been advised by Dominic Cummings, the former chief adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to resist signing a new UFC contract to gain more “leverage” in pursuit of a third fight with Conor McGregor.

Cummings made headlines at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK after a 260-mile trip to Durham during lockdown.

The Prime Minister eventually dismissed his chief advisor six months later, before Cummings would publicly criticise him for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

And he has now revealed a passion for MMA by reaching out to Diaz surrounding his uncertain future in the octagon.

Diaz has one fight remaining on his UFC contract, with talks to fight UFC welterweight Vicente Luque failing to progress towards a conclusion, leaving open the possibility of a third fight with McGregor, once he has recovered from injury.

Cummings wrote: “Do not sign new UFC contract, you will make more cash outside and Dana White will come do a deal at some point for trilogy Conor McGregor fight.

“But outside you’ll have much more leverage and make more $. Look how they screwed Georges St-Pierre, now waiting for contract to expire.”

Cummings made reference to the UFC blocking St-Pierre from boxing Oscar De La Hoya in September, with UFC president Dana White holding the Canadian to his contract.

MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz, who represents Luque, believes Diaz will resist an extension in order to maintain flexibility surrounding his future.

Abdelaziz told MMA Fighting : “I believe Nate Diaz has one fight left on his contract. I like the fight. I think it’s a great fight. I think the UFC, it’s a business, they want to make money and I think Nate and Conor [McGregor] will make them so much money.

“I think the only way the UFC will agree to make this fight happen [is] if Nate re-signs with the UFC. But I don’t know if this is good for Nate to re-sign with the UFC.

“I understand the business. I understand the UFC’s point but they know we want the fight, Nate wants the fight but at the end of the day, they hold the contract.

“I can push as much as I can but I don’t know what they want to do. Vicente, 100 percent will fight Nate or Nick [Diaz].”

Read More

Reshuffle in full: Who is out and who has been promoted?

Boris Johnson flexes muscles with cabinet shake-up for post-Covid era

PM won’t say how Universal Credit claimants can recoup lost £20-a-week

David Moyes calls for more clean sheets from West Ham

‘Dedicated’ Cameron Norrie a ‘great example’ to other players, Andy Murray claims

John Fury criticises Anthony Joshua’s reaction to Oleksandr Usyk defeat