Anthony Pettis has a beef with Nate Diaz and he plans on settling it in August.
Pettis vs. Diaz is slated for UFC 241 on Aug. 17. Headlining the card will be a heavyweight title clash between champion Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic in a rematch from their July 2018 encounter. Diaz hasn’t competed since Aug. 2016.
Pettis Details Beef With Diaz
“Showtime” was a guest on ESPN’s Ariel Helwani MMA Show. During his appearance, Pettis explained why he and Diaz aren’t chummy:
“I coached against Gilbert Melendez the whole Ultimate Fighter season, not one word. Didn’t say anything and then when the camera’s around he has something to say. It’s time to back it up. Everything he’s been talking, all the stuff he’s been saying and then all the drama he’s been trying to cause with the UFC vets, I’m like, ‘alright let’s settle it now.’ I’m excited for this fight, 100 percent motivated. I wanna knock this guy out.”
Pettis went on to discuss one incident he had with the Stockton native:
“I think Nate is a tough dude, but he just turns on for the cameras. That for example, for sure. You were interviewing him or I don’t know what was going on. But I’m walking past and Gilbert just lost I think. And he [Diaz] started talking crazy and it was just another one of those things like, ‘bro I seen you the night before, why didn’t you say anything the night before? Now you got something to say?’ It is what it is man. For me I’m past that drama stuff, but I’m definitely looking forward to whooping his ass.”
While Pettis is a former UFC lightweight champion and Diaz once competed for the 155-pound gold, this bout will be contested at welterweight. Pettis told Helwani that it’s the ideal weight class for this bout.
