Nate Diaz has been itching to get out of his contract and is apparently willing to get out, whatever it takes. Diaz was previously outspoken against Chimaev bout – due to the fact that he’s been a fighter for ages and Chimaev was lauded but unranked for the majority of his UFC tenure.
Dana White recently made comments on the Jim Rome Show:
“To be honest with you right here, off the top of my head, this thing has played out back-and-forth so many different ways. Yes, we tried to make that fight. He wanted the fight then he didn’t want the fight. But Nate Diaz did accept the fight with him [Chimaev].”
These comments come on the wings of White dissing Diaz by saying he should be fighting Jake Paul.
White agreed with Diaz’s Tuesday remarks that the Paul clash would be a good chance for Diaz’s career. The UFC president also seemed to imply that Diaz’s tenure with the organization would soon be coming to an end.
“I mean, I like Nate. Let’s be honest, Nate’s won one fight in the last five or six years,” White told TheMacLife.
“You know? When these guys get into these positions, you’ve got guys that have been with us for a long time, that we respect, that we care about.”
“So listen, we’re trying to do the best we can. We’re trying not to s*** on anybody and disrespect anybody, but it’s not like we’re talking about Kamaru Usman here. We’re talking about Nate Diaz.”
“Nate’s won one fight in five years, so we’re trying to figure this thing out with him. He probably should go on and fight Jake Paul. That’s a fight that makes sense.”
Over the previous several years, Diaz and Paul have swapped insults many times. Paul openly urged a “big fight” between the two this past December.
A little while later, Diaz and Paul responded to White’s remarks on social media.
Diaz tweeted: “Send the release.”
Diaz has been on the last bout of his contract for over a year now.
White was previously quoted saying that he is obligated to offer a fight to Diaz in order to keep his contract active:
“I owe him a fight? We’ll get him a fight. Tell me when there isn’t something crazy going on with Nate Diaz. It’s just the way he operates. It’s just part of what he does. Listen, like I always say, I owe guys three fights a year. Right. So if I don’t get them the fights, I have to pay them.”