Leon Edwards vs. Nate Diaz Booked For 5-Round UFC 262 Co-Main Event

Leon Edwards and Nate Diaz are prepared to make history on May 15 when they take part in the first-ever five-round co-main event in the UFC.

According to an ESPN report released late Tuesday night, Leon Edwards vs. Nate Diaz has been booked to serve as the co-main event of UFC 262: Oliveira vs. Chandler. The addition to Nate Diaz will surely serve as a massive boost to the pay-per-view and deliver many extra eyes that will benefit everyone involved with the card.

Leon Edwards had asked for a fight against Diaz in February after Khamzat Chimaev had to withdraw from their bout. It seemed like a long shot in many respects, and Diaz claimed not to know who Edwards was. Now, his familiarity with Edwards is confirmed, and the two will become even better acquainted when they come face to face on the 15th of May.

Leon Edwards is currently ranked #3 in the UFC welterweight division and is coming off a controversial ending to a fight against Belal Muhammad earlier this month. That contest ended after an eye poke from Edwards rendered Muhammad unable to continue. Muhammad has since been lobbying hard for a rematch while Edwards let it be known that he wanted a title shot instead. Muhammad’s request is officially terminated while Edwards is getting the next best thing to a title shot: his original request and a huge fight against one of the biggest names in the sport.

Nate Diaz last competed in 2019 in what was another history-making bout against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244. This contest was the first time the UFC created a championship just for a single fight, that, of course, being the “BMF Championship.” A doctor’s stoppage brought a premature end to the mega event and another loss to Diaz’s record, but the Stockton slugger is now ready to move on from this disappointing experience with a win over a top-5 welterweight.

With a win here, Diaz could very easily find himself in the running for a title shot against champion Kamaru Usman if he wanted it, especially considering how many of the top contenders the champion has already defeated.

With the addition of this blockbuster bout, the current UFC 262 lineup is as follows:

UFC Lightweight Championship Bout (Vacant): Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler

Leon Edwards vs. Nate Diaz

Tony Ferguson vs. Beneil Dariush

Jack Hermansson vs. Edmen Shahbazyan

Edson Barboza vs. Shane Burgos

Viviane Araujo vs. Katlyn Chookagian

Alex Perez vs. Matt Schnell

Andrea Lee vs. Antonina Shevchenko

Priscila Cachoeira vs. Gina Mazany

Jamie Pickett vs. Jordan Wright

Who do you think emerges victorious on May 15? Leon Edwards or Nate Diaz?