Nate Diaz to Fight Dustin Poirier in Co-Main Event at UFC 230

Nate Diaz is coming back to the Octagon.

According to Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times, Diaz will fight Dustin Poirier on Nov. 3 at Madison Square Garden as a co-main event at UFC 230. Diaz hasn’t fought in the UFC Octagon in more than two years, and Pugmire noted this bout will take place at lightweight, 155 pounds.

Diaz sports a 20-11 record and is a high-profile name, especially after his last two fights came against Conor McGregor. He defeated McGregor at UFC 196 in March but dropped the rematch in August of the same year at UFC 202.

Pugmire explained those fights generated such buzz and pay-per-view numbers that "Diaz basked in the riches of the pay-per-view dollars, opting to remain sidelined until another fight capable of generating a massive purse emerged."

He even "balked" at the idea of fighting Georges St-Pierre at Saturday’s UFC 227.

Returning to face someone as talented as Poirier will be no easy task, though. Poirier is 24-5 and won eight of the last 10 times he fought, including a second-round technical knockout of Eddie Alvarez in his most recent bout.

"They already know what I’m going to say: If it’s not a title fight, I’m not answering the phone," Poirier recently said of the lack of discussions with UFC officials after the victory over Alvarez, per Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie.

However, he added, "It’s really up to them for an offer. It has to make sense. … Money talks."

This fight against Diaz was clearly enough to move the needle.