Dana White hoping to make Georges St-Pierre v Nate Diaz for UFC 227
Wednesday 9 May 2018 11:04, UK
UFC president Dana White has confirmed he is working on putting a fight together between Georges St-Pierre and Nate Diaz for UFC 227 on August 4 in Los Angeles.
The contest would take place at the lightweight limit of 155lbs and would mark the first time in St-Pierre's career he has competed at such a low weight.
The Canadian star returned from a four-year hiatus in November, when he defeated Britain's Michael Bisping to win the middleweight title at 185lbs, which he has since vacated.
Prior to that St-Pierre enjoyed a long reign as welterweight (170 lbs) champion. He successfully defended his belt against Diaz's brother Nick in March 2013, defeating him via unanimous decision.
Diaz has fought most of his career at lightweight, though his two most recent fights against Conor McGregor (both in 2016), took place at welterweight.
White admits he has had trouble finding opponents for both St-Pierre and Diaz in the past but is hopeful he can make this fight.
"I need to give them three fights a year," White told UFC Unfiltered. "If I fail to give them three fights a year, then I have to pay them. I've honoured my contract with those guys - they keep turning down the fights, which extends their contracts. But we are working right now to try to put together a Georges St-Pierre versus Nate Diaz fight."
If St-Pierre does drop to lightweight it would be a further boost to a stacked division that already boasts champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, former champion McGregor and former interim champion Tony Ferguson.
Nurmagomedov called out St-Pierre immediately after winning the belt at UFC 223 in April.
White also confirmed he is attempting to make a fight at light heavyweight between Alexander Gustafsson and former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold for UFC 227.
The card is currently headlined by the bantamweight title rematch between champion T.J. Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt and also includes a middleweight bout between Derek Brunson and Antonio Carlos Junior.
"In my perfect world, if everything goes perfect - which nothing goes perfect in this world - Dillashaw vs. Garbrandt, GSP vs. Diaz would be the co-main," White said. "Gustafsson vs. Rockhold and Derek Brunson vs. Antonio Carlos Junior."
