Eddie Alvarez, Kevin Lee quickly call out Nate Diaz after Instagram declaration

If Nate Diaz is serious about that “May, June” time frame he mentioned for a UFC comeback, he has at least a couple of takers.

Diaz (19-11 MMA, 14-9 UFC), in an Instagram post Tuesday night, said he was “sick of sitting around” and implored fighters to “step your games up” before declaring the two summer months as possibilities for his return to the octagon.

That caught the attention of lightweight standouts Eddie Alvarez and Kevin Lee, who responded immediately.

Via Twitter:

Via Twitter:

Alvarez (29-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and Diaz have a history of sorts. At UFC 188 in June 2015, the two exchanged words backstage following Alvarez’s grueling split-decision win over Diaz’s friend and teammate, Gilbert Melendez. There was interest in the Alvarez-Diaz happening back then, but it never materialized, with both men previously turning down offers to fight each other.

Following his knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 218 in December, Alvarez said he wants a “big, mega-fight” next, which Diaz would certainly fit the bill.

The outspoken Lee (16-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC), who failed to claim interim gold vs. Tony Ferguson at UFC 216, pushed for a fight with Diaz last year. Lee has referred to Diaz as a “journeyman” and “not a real fighter” in the past in hopes of catching his attention.

Diaz, of course, hasn’t competed since losing a hard-fought rematch to Conor McGregor in August 2016. Diaz has expressed his desire for a McGregor trilogy after the two split a pair of pay-per-view bouts in 2016.

Most recently, Diaz was linked to a potential matchup against welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, though nothing came close to officially being booked.

For more on the upcoming UFC schedule, visit the UFC Rumors section of the site.