UFC commentator and analyst Joe Rogan has slammed fans who say Nate Diaz made a mistake in the final round of his fight with Leon Edwards.
Diaz faced Edwards in the UFC’s first non-main event and non-title five-round fight at UFC 263 in June. The Englishman largely dominated the fight and left Glendale’s Gila River Arena with a comfortable win on the judges’ scorecards. However, with less than a minute of the bout remaining, Diaz caught Edwards and looked close to securing a remarkable comeback stoppage.
But despite providing perhaps the pay-per-view’s most memorable moment, many suggested after the fight that Diaz let Edwards off the hook by not swarming the Englishman when he had him hurt.
According to Joe Rogan, that opinion couldn’t be more wrong. Speaking during an episode of his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, the 53-year-old explained why Diaz’s approach after he wobbled “Rocky” was smart. Rogan used the example of Pat Barry’s knockout loss against Cheick Kongo in 2011 to make his point.
“He hurts Leon Edwards and points at him. He’s like ‘I got you’. Oh my god, I had an argument with someone they were like ‘yeah, he let Leon off the hook, he should have gone after him’.
“I’m like you don’t know what the fuck you are talking about. He did exactly what he was supposed to do. Leon ‘s not dead, like you don’t just go after him. You go after him you run into a straight left. Watch Pat Barry vs Cheick Kongo, watch Pete Sell vs Scott Smith. When people go after people recklessly, they get cracked,” Rogan further added. (h/t EssentiallySports)
Despite extending his unbeaten streak to 10 with his win against Diaz, Edwards still hadn’t done enough to be seen as the number one contender in the eyes of UFC President Dana White. The UFC has already booked a title fight between champion Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington at UFC 268. It remains to be seen whether “Rocky” will remain active against the likes of Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns, or wait on the sidelines for the title shot many feel he deserves.
Diaz, meanwhile, received callouts from a host of names, including Demian Maia, Matt Brown, and Michel Pereira. Having estimated a return to the Octagon in 2-3 months, it stands to reason his next opponent will be announced soon.
Do you agree with Joe Rogan’s view on the Nate Diaz vs. Leon Edwards fight?
