Diaz Is Open to a UFC Comeback, but He Needs the Right Fight
Nate Diaz has made it clear again that he is always willing to fight in the UFC but, only if it’s the right fight. The Stockton native, who has built an incredibly UFC resume, isn’t just looking for any fight—he wants a matchup that gets him excited (and money).
Throughout his career, Diaz has faced some of the sport’s biggest names, with his shocking victory over Conor McGregor still being one of the most talked-about moments in UFC history. While he has been teasing another boxing match, a UFC return would be massive. However, according to Diaz, there’s one major issue preventing that from happening.
A Lack of Stars Is Holding Up Diaz’s UFC Return
In a recent interview with Full Violence, Diaz explained what’s stopping him from making his return to the UFC. The 39-year-old last fight was a match with Tony Ferguson, whom he submitted. For those that remember, that fight had a bunch of drama as well.
Originally, Diaz was supposed to fight Khamzat Chimaev who was heavily favored to win the fight. Then Chimaev missed weight by a whopping 7.5 pounds. On short notice, Ferguson jumped in and lost by submission in the fourth round.
Diaz has been vocal in recent years about the lack of excitement in the UFC, stating that the current roster doesn’t have the same energy or star power as it once did. His return in 2019 against Anthony Pettis and later against Masvidal in the BMF title fight were matchups that carried significant buzz—something he feels is currently missing.
“There’s nobody doing s— in the UFC right now,” Diaz said. “There’s f——, what’s his name, ‘Poatan,’ Alex Pereira. So there’s him, and there was (Israel) Adesanya too. I mean, he’s still there, but he’s not doing much right now.”
He’s not wrong but as with all sports, as the old stars go sometimes it takes time for the new stars to take over. For example, in the NFL at one time Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Ben Roethlisberger all played at the same time and that’s just naming the quarterback stars during that era.
Pereira has certainly been one of the UFC’s biggest stars in recent years, but his recent loss to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 has shifted the conversation about the promotion’s current star power. For Diaz, a big fight needs to mean something—and right now, he feels that no one in the UFC is generating the kind of hype that would make a return worthwhile.
Who Could Tempt Nate Diaz Back?
It’s pretty clear that Diaz doesn’t want just any fight, claiming he wants excitement. But, at 39 years old, Diaz wants a fight that’s exciting because those fights generate income. When he called out Masvidal, it was because ‘Gamebred’ had just made headlines with his knockout of Ben Askren. His bout with Leon Edwards, while not as hyped, had significant title implications sending Edwards on a run to the belt.
So, who could bring Diaz back to the Octagon? The welterweight division may not have many options that fit his criteria, but a few big-name lightweights moving up could make for an intriguing fight.
One name that stands out is Dustin Poirier. The two have a long history of matchups that never happened, and with Poirier approaching retirement, this could be the perfect time for them to settle unfinished business finally.
Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, and even Paddy Pimblett could be intriguing options outside those names. While Pimblett may not be on the same competitive level as Diaz’s past opponents, his rising popularity could make for a marketable fight—especially if they meet at welterweight.
There’s no word if Poirier would even be interested in a fight with Diaz, which would probably be his best chance for a fight. However, Poirier said that he wants his final fight to be this summer in New Orleans and that means Diaz would have to start came very soon.
