Dana says he’s trying to book GSP vs. Nate at UFC 227
Bovada opened GSP as a -200 favorite vs. Nate Diaz (+160) in a potential UFC 227 showdown on Aug. 4.
During a guest appearance Tuesday on ‘UFC Unfiltered,’ Dana White said the promotion is actively trying to book a fight between Nate Diaz and former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre for UFC 227 in L.A. at Staples Center on Aug. 4.
White has consistently said that he’s been offering both Nate and Nick Diaz fights often. He said this on Tuesday, “I need to give [Nate and Nick] three fights a year. If I fail to give them three fights a year, then I have to pay them. I’ve honored my contract with those guys — they keep turning down the fights, which extends their contracts. But we are working right now to try to put together a Georges St-Pierre versus Nate Diaz fight.”
White also confirmed that he’s trying to book a light-heavyweight scrap between Alexander Gustafsson and Luke Rockhold on the same card in Los Angeles.
White said, “That is true, but that is not for the interim title.” ‘The Mauler’ recently signed a new contract with the promotion. Gustafsson has famously fought for the 205-pound strap twice, losing a razor-thin decision to Jon Jones and dropping a split decision to current champ Daniel Cormier.
Cormier is facing Stipe Miocic for his heavyweight belt this summer. Jones remains on suspension for popping dirty for a PED before his second win over Cormier, a result that’s been changed to a no-contest.
The UFC 227 headliner is a rematch between T.J. Dillashaw and Cody ‘No Love’ Garbrandt for Dillashaw’s bantamweight belt. Dillashaw defated Garbrandt by second-round knockout to become the two-time 135-pound champ at UFC 217 last November.
White said, “In my perfect world, if everything goes perfect — which nothing goes fucking perfect in this world — Dillashaw vs. Garbrandt, GSP vs. Diaz would be the co-main, Gustafsson vs. Rockhold and Derek Brunson vs. Antonio Carlos Junior.”
The potential bout between Nate and GSP would be contested at lightweight. St. Pierre has never fought at 155 pounds before. Bovada opened GSP as a -200 favorite today, while Diaz was the +160 underdog (risk $100 to win $160).
