FORMER TWO-WEIGHT champion Georges St Pierre’s coaches were unaware of UFC’s plans to see the Canadian face Nate Diaz in August for UFC 227, according to former UFC star Kenny Florian.
UFC president Dana White confirmed that a bout between Diaz, who hasn’t fought since his defeat to Conor McGregor in August 2016, and GSP was in the works on the UFC Unfiltered Podcast.
“I haven’t confirmed that with anyone in their camp. When I did bring it up to one of the coaches in that camp they seemed to be surprised and unaware about that news.
“The Nate Diaz fight, they (GSP’s coaches) weren’t really aware of it. And again, maybe they’re out of the loop, but my understanding is that they were taken by surprise and they didn’t really know that was the fight that Georges was targeting or even wanted,” Florian told this week’s Submission Radio.
White also stated that the plan was to have Diaz (19-11) and St Pierre (26-2) fight at lightweight (155 lbs) despite St Pierre being a former welterweight champion and Diaz also having competed at welterweight multiple times.
“No matter what weight class, whether it’s 155-pounds or 170, Georges will have a significant size and strength advantage. So that is a tough fight for Nate. I would have to favour Georges St Pierre in that fight,” Florian said.
Florian continued to speculate on the plans for the potential fight being a possible lead into a Conor McGregor bout with the winner, if the Irishman doesn’t face lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in the near future.
“It does make sense. Not to say they wouldn’t make a whole lot of money in that fight between GSP and Nate Diaz, but a fight against Conor McGregor is certainly at a different level,” he said.
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