MMA veteran Jake Shields has detailed a series of intense confrontations during Nate Diaz’s reality show filming in Thailand that ultimately led to their departure from the production.
According to Shields, what began as verbal exchanges quickly escalated into physical altercations with one particular individual who allegedly had a history of such behavior.
“You can see him in the situation and Nate just went and slapped him,” Shields explained while narrating video footage of the incident. “Had I been smart and watched the show, I’d realize this guy’s constantly being in [confrontations]. There’s videos of him constantly coming up and choking people from behind.”
The situation reportedly deteriorated further when Shields himself became involved. “Eventually, I got fed up and I went after him,” he said. “I was trying to make an example of this guy, so [others] would stop testing us.”
What happened next, according to Shields, crossed a line that made continuing with the show untenable. “When I started to go off on him, I got just blitz from the side,” Shields recounted. “A couple guys started blitzing me, which to me seemed like they were a crew working there, not fighters, because the fighters were in the chair.”
This unexpected development from production staff allegedly altered the entire dynamic of the situation. Shields claims they were severely outnumbered, with “over a hundred” people present, which prompted him to de-escalate rather than continue the confrontation.
“It’s one thing [having issues with] the fighters, which that’s why I went out there with Nate. I thought it was a possibility for some of these fighters to try to test them, but when you have potentially the crew hitting you too, it’s like, nah,” Shields explained.
The group decided to leave immediately, reportedly facing resistance from production who initially didn’t want to provide transportation. They eventually made their way to a hotel in Patong Beach where they stayed for three days before deciding to withdraw from the show entirely.
This incident may explain recent rumors that the planned season featuring Nate Diaz has been reorganized, with reports suggesting Yoel Romero and Jorge Masvidal may now serve as opposing coaches instead.
Neither the production company nor network has officially commented on the alleged incidents or potential changes to the show’s format.
