White Squashes Rumors Of Usman Vs Diaz

In terms of matchmaking, Kamaru Usman vs. Nick Diaz is almost as stupid as Kamaru Usman vs. Canelo Alvarez. Fortunately for those with half a brain, UFC President Dana White is not a fan of either contest and recently put the kibosh on the Usman-Diaz fantasy fight.

So much for that end-of-year title shot.

“Especially for as long as he was off and you know, he’s … listen, there’s no denying the Diaz brothers are tough kids,” White told Yahoo! Sports. “But talk to me about Nick Diaz versus Usman? Usman is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. I need to look out for Nick and make sure that Nick doesn’t get hurt.”

Someone has to.

Usman (20-1) is the winner of 19 straight with nine finishes during that span. “The Nigerian Nightmare” is expected to rematch top contender Leon Edwards at some point later this year. As for Diaz (26-10, 2 NC), he’s been stuck in the loss column for over a decade and has competed just four times since late 2011.

Perhaps it’s time to start looking at someone outside the Top 15 … or stop looking altogether.