Nate Diaz is still interested in fighting for the UFC again, but they’re gonna have to generate some interesting options for him if they want him to sign on the dotted line.
Diaz fought out his contract back in 2022, ending a 15 year relationship with the promotion. He then went on to lose to Jake Paul and beat Jorge Masvidal in boxing bouts … the latter of which he didn’t get paid for.
When you sell out an arena and still get screwed over, it probably makes you miss the more reliable ways the UFC operates. So we’re not surprised that Nate is still interested in fighting for them again (despite repeated attempts to bury him).
In a recent interview with the The HJR Podcast (recorded before UFC 315 and the Thailand brawl incident), the Stockton fighter discussed his thoughts on returning to UFC and what’s stopping him at the moment.
“I plan on going back to UFC,” Diaz said. “If they’ll have me, I would like to go back and whoop someone’s ass there. I’m not fighting at 155, though. Right now I’m not fighting in there because there’s nobody to fight, really. It’s kind of slow rolling. I don’t really have a name in mind right now in UFC, that’s why I’m not there right now.”
“Everybody’s rushing. I would be there if there was somebody that I wanted to go fight.”
The obvious opponent is Conor McGregor, but Nate noted he’s not active at the moment.
“With time, for sure, whenever he’s back, I’m sure we’re going to fight,” he said. “Me and him for sure have unfinished business. Got to happen.”
Discussion turned to the BMF belt, which Nate took credit for and called the most entertaining thing happening in the UFC. He also expressed interest in fighting some of the BMF belt holders, be they legit or through lineal conquest.
“Those are the guys right there that I would want to fight,” Diaz said. “Like Max Holloway. I’d like to fight that other guy [Topuria]. He’s really good but he’s smaller than me. I’m done with 155, I’m cool off that. It always was [a hard weight cut], since I was 18, it was hard. I’m staying at 170. I’ll fight 185 too.”
We’re sure Max Holloway would love to skip a weight cut and fight Nate Diaz after he fights Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 on July 18th. Could it happen? If they could pull together a McGregor or Holloway fight (or uno mas with Poirier), it would be a nice addition to a year sorely lacking in fan service fights.
