Nate
Diaz hasn’t been in Octagon in nearly three years, but a return
to the
Ultimate Fighting Championship seems to be something that might
interest him.
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In a recent appearance on “The HJR Podcast,” the popular Stockton,
California, native broached the possibility of fighting for the
organization where he originally made his name.
„I plan on going back to UFC,“ Diaz said. „If they’ll have me, I
would like to go back and f—ing whoop someone’s ass there. It’s
kind of slow rolling. I don’t really have a name in mind right now
in the UFC. That’s why I’m not there right now.”
Diaz parted ways with the Las Vegas-based promotion in 2022 after a
fourth-round submission victory over Tony
Ferguson at UFC 279. Since then, he’s competed in boxing twice,
falling to Jake Paul via
unanimous decision in August 2023 and earning a majority verdict
over former UFC rival Jorge
Masvidal in July 2024.
While the 40-year-old Cesar
Gracie Fight Team representative doesn’t have a particular
opponent in mind, there are a couple of fights that intrigue him.
That includes a matchup against current BMF champion Max
Holloway and former featherweight king Ilia
Topuria. Holloway is facing Dustin
Poirier in his retirement bout at
UFC 318, while Topuria will vie for the vacant lightweight
crown against Charles
Oliveira at UFC
317.
„Those are the guys right there who I would want to fight, like
Max
Holloway“ Diaz said. „I would like to fight the other guy who’s
really good too, 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
difficult cut]. When I was 18, it was hard. I’m staying at ’70.
I’ll fight at 185, too.”
Of course, the possibility of a trilogy against Conor
McGregor always looms large for Diaz. The first two meetings
with the Irish star in 2016 — which they split — propelled Diaz to
a new level of stardom that he has managed to maintain over the
years. McGregor hasn’t fought since July 2021 and it’s currently
unclear if he’ll be fighting anytime soon.
„Whenever he’s back, I’m sure we’re going to fight,“ Diaz said. „Me
and him for sure got unfinished [business]. Got to happen.”