Nate Diaz is eyeing a return to the UFC, driven by a desire for one final pursuit of championship gold.
After a submission victory over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 in September 2022, Diaz stepped away from the promotion he'd called home for nearly 15 years, seeking opportunities outside of the UFC.
Since his departure, Diaz has explored the boxing world, experiencing mixed results. He suffered a unanimous decision loss to Jake Paul in August 2023 but rebounded with a majority decision win against fellow UFC veteran Jorge Masvidal in July 2024.
Despite his ventures outside the octagon, Diaz feels his UFC legacy remains unfinished. He believes his impact within the promotion is unparalleled, and he's now motivated to make one last run for a title.
The legacy – I don’t think about it as done,” Diaz said in a video posted to the Full Violence YouTube channel. “… I think it’s underrated, and I think there’s like f*cking – I think I left more of an impact than a lot of these f*cking, anybody has, really. I mean, Conor (McGregor) has in a way, and then you get like, my brother did – but all that sh*t gets forgotten about too. It can go away because you ain’t getting credit to begin with anyway. You might as well keep that sh*t going forever. That’s why I plan on fighting forever.
Nate Diaz has cultivated a devoted fanbase since his appearance on Season five of The Ultimate Fighter in 2007. His distinctive fighting style and persona, shared with his brother Nick, has earned him a cult-like following within the MMA community. The Diaz brothers' unique presence consistently generated heightened interest in their fights, regardless of the outcome.
Diaz believes he could recapture that same level of excitement if given the opportunity for one final run at a championship. He feels that the current UFC roster lacks the kind of transcendent star power he and his brother brought to the sport.
Well, everybody’s boring right now, so I’m trying to do other sh*t for the moment,” Diaz said. “But like, I want to go back and get a UFC title. I don’t want to fight for nothing, you know? I want to fight for something. … It’s about buzz and who’s poppin’ and who’s doing something. Right now, there’s nobody doing sh*t in the UFC.
Should the UFC call, Diaz is ready to return at welterweight, though he's uncertain about potential opponents.
Nobody,” Nate Diaz said. “That’s why I’m not in there right now, you know what I’m saying? I’m watching. I’m hoping for something. … There’s no buzz, nobody’s doing sh*t. There’s nobody to fight, everybody is wack. Every single body in boxing and MMA.