‘Real champ’ Nate Diaz teases that he’s ready for UFC return

Is Nate Diaz ready for a comeback?

The wildly popular UFC fighter posted a fairly cryptic Instagram message Tuesday night, which followed a string of videos and photos from his fights. The final one was a picture of Diaz flipping his trademark double bird with a major hint about a return fight.

Diaz wrote that he’s “sick of sitting around waiting” and that there’s “no excitement in this fight [sh*t].”

“Step your games up,” he wrote. “I’ll see u around may,June.”

Diaz signed off with: “Sincerely The Real Champ.”

Sources told MMA Fighting that the social media barrage is legitimate and he’s ready to fight again in the timeframe mentioned.

Diaz, 32, has not fought since falling to Conor McGregor by majority decision at UFC 202 in August 2016. He’s 1-1 against McGregor, including a second-round submission win over “The Notorious” at UFC 196 in March 2016. Those were two of the top three pay-per-view events in UFC history.

If Diaz does come back, it’ll be to a topsy turvy lightweight division. McGregor is currently still the champion, but Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will be fighting for what UFC president Dana White said is the “real” title at UFC 223 on April 7 in Brooklyn. McGregor, White said, is eyeing a return fight in September after his boxing match with Floyd Mayweather back in August.