UFC President, Dana White, has announced that Nate Diaz will replace the injured Rafael dos Anjos to face Conor McGregor at UFC 196.
McGregor (19-2) was seeking to become the first fighter to hold two belts simultaneously in the UFC by meeting lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos, but it was revealed Tuesday that Dos Anjos suffered a broken foot while training in Huntington Beach and is out for an undetermined period.
Keeping McGregor on the card was a priority, considering he generated $10.1 million in ticket sales by knocking out Brazil’s Jose Aldo in 13 seconds in December at MGM Grand.
Diaz was one of the favourites to step in to replace the injured dos Anjos after sending a taunting Tweet yesterday at the height of all the uncertainty.
There is still no official word from the McGregor camp but the change in opponent is likely not to phase the featherweight champion as he has had to deal with last minute changes in the past.
Diaz, 30, returned from a yearlong absence after missing weight in a December 2014 loss to Dos Anjos to defeat Michael Johnson by unanimous decision in December.
Diaz fought for the lightweight belt in 2012, but was defeated by champion Benson Henderson by unanimous decision.
White announced the weight limit will be at welterweight, 170 pounds, two weight classes above the 145-pound featherweight limit