Nate Diaz doesn't sound happy for a guy who allegedly made millions of dollars choking out Conor McGregor at UFC 196.
The upset win certainly helped Diaz's Q-rating, but he's not exactly basking in the glow of a higher profile.
"I feel like, honest, I feel like the UFC wants to weed me the f**k out of this position," Diaz told ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto. "I don't know if I'm supposed to say that. Sorry. I feel like a lot of people are coming at me now. I see them making a lot of excuses for [McGregor], and I think it's kind of ridiculous.
"I don't think it's just the UFC. It's everybody. People are saying, 'Oh, [McGregor] is great, he's accepted the loss so well.' If I would have lost, people would be saying, 'piece of s**t shouldn't have accepted the fight.' I don't mean to be bitter, but there are a lot of excuses being made for this guy. He's talking about winning the first round. There are five rounds in a fight. Who gives a s**t if you won a round? You lost."
McGregor told TMZ earlier this week that he'd be interested in a possible rematch with Diaz at some point. The UFC featherweight champ claims he won the majority of the nine-minute bout before Diaz sunk in a rear-naked-choke late in round two.
Diaz sounds more interested in a rematch with lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, who scored a unanimous decision victory in their 2014 catchweight bout.
"I'm thinking probably the lightweight title fight, whatever is biggest," Diaz said. "The biggest thing with Lawler and GSP -- I would have been all about those fights and I am, but at the same time, my brother [Nick] is coming back and those are his fights. Those are Nick Diaz fights. I'm not trying to step on his shoes. We'll see how things play out. As far as rematches go, I lost close decisions and never got a rematch.
"I'm not asking for anything. I'm demanding more than everybody. I want more than everybody, straight up. Money talks. I want the biggest fight. Whoever I've got to fight -- the biggest show, biggest payday -- that's what I want."
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Meathead moving on. Former UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione signs with Bellator MMA.
'I want to make the most money I can.' After failed negotiations with UFC, Rory MacDonald expects to become a free agent.
Monday Morning Analyst. Luke Thomas breaks down Miesha Tate' choke against Holly Holm at UFC 196.
'He wasn't the same person.' Rashad Evans says Conor McGregor was "putting on too much" before UFC 196.
Wow. Roxanne Modafferi leads the Invicta FC 16 payroll with $13,000.
Watch The MMA Hour with Michael Bisping, Rory MacDonald, Stephen Thompson, Rashad Evans, Gegard Mousasi and Matt Mitrione.
MEDIA STEW
Frank Mir breaks down his fight with Mark Hunt in Brisbane.
Highlights from WSOF 29.
Eddie Alvarez thinks Conor McGregor quit on himself, wants Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 200.
behind the scenes at the EA UFC 2 launch party.
Nice quick KO from ROAD FC 29.
Ronda Rousey back on solid foods.
Long watches.
Submission Radio #85 Chael Sonnen, Gunnar Nelson, Coach Wink, Elias Cepeda
...
...
TWEETS
Congrats.
Proud to announce we've signed the always exciting @mattmitrione Welcome to the family Matt! https://t.co/GHBB3MaEnL pic.twitter.com/KdpD6nRKhW
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) March 14, 2016
Honored. Thank you for the opportunity! https://t.co/wNEXj8AbXL
— Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione) March 14, 2016
No fluke.
Nothing is given. No such thing as a fluke in this game.
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) March 15, 2016
Excited?
June 4th #UFC199 #Unstoppable pic.twitter.com/zFVXIbKP7q
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) March 14, 2016
Back on the mat.
Fun times with good friends @tussagb @treesa321 @shandafigurepro just missing @baratagb
Posted by Holly Holm on Monday, March 14, 2016
You buying it?
Who is ready for #EASPORTSUFC2 to drop? We will be streaming it tomorrow with @LIRIK pic.twitter.com/g96ag59huP
— Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouseUFC) March 14, 2016
Buds.
Who would of thought!!! Me and this ol boy @Showtimepettis getting along!
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) March 15, 2016
Sum bitch is a cool a dude pic.twitter.com/Vu0RUbI905
Wit my boy #felony https://t.co/Xn40DluhpH pic.twitter.com/I6CnDeO00z
— nick diaz (@nickdiaz209) March 15, 2016
getting my ass kicked in tennis against @georgesstpierre is more fun then mma, thanks for the... https://t.co/oiEbSSAUTe
— Rory MacDonald (@rory_macdonald) March 15, 2016
Beef.
The most scared are usually the loudest #ynuevo https://t.co/2CT73vHkPe
— Yoel Romero (@YoelRomeroMMA) March 14, 2016
For all the concussions.
How fucking awesome is this #DWCOTD!!! Don Frye vs Yoshihiro Takayama on June 23, 2002 in Saitama, Japan pic.twitter.com/UoWxocS95A
— Dana White (@danawhite) March 15, 2016
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Mar. 14 2016)
Bobby Green vs. Dustin Poirier at UFC 199
Renato Carneiro vs. Zubaira Tukhugov added to UFC 198
Bojan Mihajlovic out, Curtis Blaydes vs. Francis Ngannou at UFC Fight Night: Dos Santos vs. Rothwell
Jake Heun vs. Vinny Magalhaes at WSOF 30
Abu Azaitar vs. Danny Davis Jr. at WSOF 30
Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.
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