UFC 279 brought to an end Nate Diaz’s contractual obligations with the UFC, and boy did he bow out with a bang. His fourth-round victory over Tony Ferguson was a sensational performance and he proved that – despite being 38 years of age – he still has plenty left in the tank. Online bookmakers such as William Hill, which provide betting and free offers on UFC matchups, had made Stockton’s finest an underdog for his recent bout, but he delivered when it mattered the most, just as he always does.
The recent event from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was a strange one. Diaz didn’t just beat Ferguson, one could say he also beat Khamzat Chimaev. The Swedish Monster was originally scheduled to face off with the California native however, he couldn’t make it passed the scales, coming in a staggering EIGHT pounds over the welterweight limit. Diaz certainly sees it that way. In an explosive and expletive-filled interview from the ceremonial weigh-ins the night before the big fight, he said that he believed Chimaev was “scared” of him after being “punked” by Diaz and his crew at the press conference the day before. He would then finish off by saying that Real G’s come from California, America. And on this performance, it’s hard to argue with him.
The fourth-round victory over Ferguson – which came via a guillotine choke when El Cucuy shot for a takedown – brought to an end a stellar 15-year career with the company. In this time, Diaz has fought 26 times, winning 15 and losing 11. His two pay-per-view main events with superstar Conor McGregor generated a whopping three million buys, good enough for third and fifth on the all-time list of highest-grossing UFC PPVs.
Diaz – who announced his arrival into the organization by winning season five of the ultimate fighter – will leave as a legend. And some of his matchups have also reached legendary status. Let’s take a look through Nate Diaz’s greatest victories in the UFC.
UFC 196 – Nate Diaz def. Conor McGregor
Six years ago at UFC 196, Conor McGregor had just become the biggest star – not just in the UFC – but perhaps on the planet. After his 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo three months prior – which secured the UFC Featherweight Championship – the Irishman was granted his wish by head honcho Dana White. He booked his prize asset to face Rafael Dos Anjos for the UFC Lightweight Championship. Had The Notorious One won that bout, he would have become the first fighter in company history to hold two champions in different weight classes simultaneously.
As was the case with Aldo though, Dos Anjos pulled out of the fight citing a broken foot. Step up, Nate Diaz.
The self-proclaimed West Coast Gangster took the fight with McGregor on 11 days’ notice at a new weight limit of 170 lbs, rather than the originally planned lightweight limit of 155 lbs. Fans across the globe were salivating at the prospect of the pair going at it, both verbally and physically. And they weren’t about to be disappointed. At the press conference announcing the new bout, the pair didn’t waste any time. McGregor would do his best to rile up his opponent, referring to him as Nick’s little bro and commenting on Diaz’s work in the community, poking barbs such as “he makes gun signs with the right hand and animal balloons with the left hand.”
Diaz would respond as you would expect, explosively. More barbs were traded back and forth, but fights aren’t won in press conferences, they’re won in the Octagon. And that’s where Diaz truly showed what he is made of.
Despite absorbing a huge amount of punishment in the opening round – a round which finished with Diaz wearing a crimson mask so to speak – Stockton’s finest was still standing, much to the disbelief of McGregor. He would continue to pour it on at the start of the second round, but Diaz would weather the storm, and when his opponent began to slow down, he would step it up. He began to press the action and McGregor retreated, and when Diaz smashed his opposite number with a huge one-two, he was wobbled. McGregor shot for the takedown, but Diaz – a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt – would show his superiority on the ground, flattening McGregor out and sinking in the rear naked choke. “HE TAPPED, HE TAPPED” exclaimed color commentator Joe Rogan. And just like that, Diaz had turned the world on its head.
UFC 241 – Nate Diaz def. Anthony Pettis
Conor McGregor would of course get his victory back over Diaz five months on at UFC 202, securing a razor-thin majority decision victory. And while the victor that night would go on to successfully defeat Eddie Alvarez to become the first ‘champ-champ’ in company history, as well as box Floyd Mayweather for a bucket full of cash, the loser would not fight again for another three years.
In August 2019 at UFC 241, everyone’s favorite West Coast gangster would return, and he would do so against one of the greatest fighters in the history of the lightweight division, Anthony Pettis. ‘Showtime’ defeated a murderer’s row of opponents en route to securing the title back in 2013 and while six years later he wasn’t the same force to be reckoned with, he was still one of the most talented fighters on the roster.
Diaz however, coming off a three-year layoff, hadn’t missed a step. He would enter the Octagon to a thunderous reception and he would not disappoint his fans at Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
He took the fight to Pettis in a three-round war, and while his opponent had his moments, Diaz was the better man on the night. His output and high-quality boxing skills, as well as his superior height and reach, were more than Pettis could handle. Diaz would comfortably win two of the three rounds on all three scorecards and receive a deserved unanimous decision victory.