Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis praised Conor McGregor and dissed Nate Diaz in a recent interview.
Anthony Pettis was impressed with Conor McGregor’s performance in his pro boxing debut. The Irishman fought ‘The Best Ever’, Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Aug. 26 at the T-Mobile Arena and, to the surprise of many, actually put up a good fight.
McGregor began to tire heavily in the middle rounds and was finished with a barrage of punches in the 10th, but Pettis, who was in attendance for the event, gave ‘The Notorious’ credit.
“I thought it was actually a good fight,” Pettis told Fight Hype, per Tom Taylor of BJPenn.com. “I think McGregor actually surprised a lot of people. I don’t know how hard Mayweather was trying, but I was there, I was impressed.”
One man who wasn’t too impressed with McGregor, however, was former opponent Nate Diaz, who seems to be looking for a trilogy fight with ‘The Notorious’.
Diaz, 32, handed McGregor his first loss in the Octagon at UFC 196 — submitting the lightweight champion in the second round — but lost in the welterweight rematch at UFC 202, losing via majority decision.
Pettis, the former WEC and UFC lightweight champ, dismissed Diaz’ comments and said the Stockton local got ‘lucky’ in the first fight.
“Bro, Nate Diaz ain’t shit,” he said. “Me and Nate have had a lot of issues. I was the champ in the UFC and WEC, and Diaz was calling me out. He got lucky in the [first] fight with Conor, and he got the win, but Diaz ain’t shit. He ain’t shit.”
Pettis and Diaz went back-and-forth a couple of years back but a grudge match never materialized.
‘Showtime’ is currently preparing to fight top 8 lightweight contender Dustin Poirier. Pettis, who beat Jim Miller earlier in July, is expected to face ‘The Diamond’ on November 11 at UFC Fight Night 120 at Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Virginia.