Nate Diaz wants to provide it yet one more run within the UFC to chase gold.
Diaz (21-13 MMA, 16-11 UFC) walked away from the promotion after a submission victory over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 in September 2022 to open himself to other opportunities away from the Las Vegas-based MMA promotion.
After leaving the fight promotion he called home for nearly 15 years, Diaz produced mixed leads to the boxing ring, losing a unanimous decision to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in August 2023 and winning a majority nod against fellow UFC veteran Jorge Masvidal in July 2024.
Now, Diaz desires to return to the UFC because he doesn’t view his legacy with the promotion as complete, though he believes only a few can compare.
“The legacy – I don’t give it some thought as done,” Diaz said in a video posted to the Full Violence YouTube channel. “… I feel it’s underrated, and I feel there’s like f*cking – I feel I left more of an impact than quite a lot of these f*cking, anybody has, really. I mean, Conor (McGregor) has in a way, and then you definitely get like, my brother did – but all that sh*t gets forgotten about too. It might go away since you ain’t getting credit to start with anyway. You would possibly as well keep that sh*t going perpetually. That’s why I plan on fighting perpetually.”
Diaz has been a fan-favorite ever since Season 5 of “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2007. His fight style and persona, along along with his brother Nick, created a cult-like following within the MMA world. The Diaz Brothers were a special breed, and generated elevated of interest of their fights, irrespective of the outcomes.
That’s something Diaz believes he would bring back to the table on one last chase for gold, if that chance comes. He believes the present roster is lacking transcendent star power.
“Well, everybody’s boring immediately, so I’m attempting to do other sh*t for the moment,” Diaz said. “But like, I would like to return and get a UFC title. I don’t need to fight for nothing, you understand? I would like to fight for something. … It’s about buzz and who’s poppin’ and who’s doing something. Straight away, there’s no one doing sh*t within the UFC.”
If Diaz were to get a call to return back to the UFC, he knows he desires to return at welterweight, but isn’t sure who he would match up against.
“No person,” Diaz said. “That’s why I’m not in there immediately, you understand what I’m saying? I’m watching. I’m hoping for something. … There’s no buzz, no one’s doing sh*t. There’s no one to fight, everybody is wack. Each body in boxing and MMA.”
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