Opinion: Is GSP in the Future for McGregor or Diaz?

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.

Much has been made about Conor McGregor’s future should he beat Nate Diaz at UFC 202. There has been talk about a trilogy fight with Diaz, returning to featherweight to defend his title against Jose Aldo or looking for a world title at lightweight against Eddie Alvarez. While all of those are feasible options, what happens if the favorite McGregor doesn’t win? Better yet, what does the future hold for the underdog Diaz?

The younger Diaz brother is in an interesting position. Although he could wake up Sunday morning with a 2-0 record against the biggest star in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, what would it all mean? There will always be the argument that he just beat up a smaller man in McGregor and it doesn’t really mean much in the grand scheme of things. The UFC will have to try to find a way to keep the momentum going with Diaz while also knowing that he’s not necessarily a top-3 fighter in his division.

The right idea would be to fast track him to a lightweight title shot against Eddie Alvarez. However, that would also mean that Khabib Nurmogomedov would have to sit on the sidelines again. And that’s an awful proposition considering that Nurmogomedov probably deserves a title shot more than any other top contender in the UFC. But it appears that the UFC is in the business of doing good business rather than do what’s right so there’s logic in why Diaz would be launched into a title fight relatively quickly despite having a 2-3 record in his last 5 lightweight fights.

Truthfully, there are few options for Diaz that maximize the momentum he would receive should he beat McGregor at UFC 202 aside from placing him in a title match. He’s not a true welterweight so an attempt to place him anywhere near a title shot would be ridiculous. At least he is ranked at lightweight. But there’s one other fight that could make a lot of sense for Diaz.

Georges St. Pierre.

There are a lot of things that would have to come together rather quickly in order to make this fight feasible. But when you really think about it, it’s probably the best option for both fighters. There’s already a built-in narrative of GSP defeating Diaz’s older brother and little bro is seeking revenge against a returning legend. The momentum heading into another “super fight” doesn’t disrupt any of the divisions nor does it hurt either fighter’s standing. With Diaz already embroiled in a pair of fights with McGregor, what’s one more fight that has little bearing on the weight class he currently competes in?

As for St. Pierre, why not? He doesn’t appear to be enthralled with the possibility of being champion again. And if he’s looking for the most lucrative fights out there, a showdown with the two-time McGregor conqueror would make a lot of sense from a financial perspective. Obviously, hardcore fans would scoff at the idea considering how easily the Canadian dispatched of Nick Diaz back in 2013. But it’s a different time and considering all of the upsets we have seen in the past year alone, there’s a lot of intrigue in a GSP-Diaz fight.

Surely, Diaz would accept that fight. If St. Pierre is going to return, what would prevent him from taking that fight if just about everyone else worth mentioning is booked?

And from the perspective of the UFC, you won’t necessarily have to hear the outcry from fans when you vault Diaz into a fight with a popular opponent in almost three years. It’s a much different story if a top contender had to be shoved aside in order for them to capitalize on Diaz’ momentum.

Of course, everything hinges on the outcome of UFC 202’s main event. But why not start speculating now since we’ve done nothing but speculate about McGregor’s future?

Andreas Hale is the editorial content director of 2DopeBoyz.com, co-host of the boxing, MMA and pro wrestling podcast “The Corner” and a regular columnist for Sherdog.com. You can follow on Twitter for his random yet educated thoughts on combat sports, music, film and popular culture.