The divisive Irish superstar will step up to the welterweight limit of 170lbs – a 25lbs increase from where he currently holds gold – to take on short-notice opponent Diaz.
And McGregor teased that he could skip a lightweight showdown with Rafael dos Anjos, who was forced to withdraw from this card through injury, to face welterweight champ Robbie Lawler at UFC 200 in July.
“I like Robbie. I won’t say a bad word about Robbie. He fights with his heart. He’s been around the game for so, so long, but if we fought I would beat Robbie,” he said.
“I’m too fast. The size difference is not anything. I’ve stood beside him. I’ve seen him.”
Previously it’s been uncommon for fighters to jump up through the divisions and land immediate title shots. Only B.J Penn and Randy Couture have won two UFC titles in separate weight divisions.
But UFC president Dana White is open to the idea of McGregor taking on Lawler.
“I’m open to whatever he’s considering doing,” White said at the pre-fight press conference. “I mean if he wants to fight at 170 and he wants to fight Robbie Lawler, Conor is tough to deny these days.”
A win over Diaz, the lightweight contender who has previously fought at welterweight, could provide the ideal slingshot to take on Lawler.
However, Diaz will hope to cause an upset on Monday and potentially lay waste to McGregor’s plans.
The pair almost came to blows earlier than expected as the customary staredown at Thursday’s press conference came close to erupting into a near-brawl.
As the fighters put up their fists for the pose, McGregor punched Diaz’s hand away and security were forced to intervene.
After the skirmish both fighters participated in a split-screen interview for Fox Sports and Diaz threw one last verbal dig, saying McGregor was “choked out by two nobodies,” referencing the Irishman’s two MMA career submissions losses.
“You were submitted by lames not even that long ago, it was like a week ago,” the Californian added.
