Former UFC superstar Nate Diaz has made headlines once again after an incident at Misfits Boxing 6 in New Orleans. The Stockton native was involved in a fracas outside the arena and was caught on camera giving a knee to Rodney Petersen, a 1-0 boxer who bears a striking resemblance to Logan Paul. Diaz then applied a jiu-jitsu hold on Petersen, leaving him unconscious on the ground.
Diaz is no stranger to controversy and has a long history of incidents with the Paul brothers. He was involved in a backstage scrap ahead of Jake Paul’s weigh-in with Tyron Woodley in December 2021, and just under a year later, he appeared to slap a member of Paul’s team before Paul’s win over Anderson Silva.
Despite his reputation for causing chaos, Diaz is still a highly respected combat sports professional. He submitted many opponents inside the Octagon, including rival Conor McGregor, prior to his departure from UFC following his win over Tony Ferguson.
Diaz was in attendance at Misfits Boxing 6 to watch teammate Chris Avila, who picked up an unanimous decision victory over Paul Bamba in the co-main event. Diaz was originally seated ringside for the bout but was removed from the arena after throwing a water bottle at reality TV star Chase DeMoor, in a call-back to his UFC 202 press conference chaos with McGregor.
The incident outside the arena in New Orleans was just the latest in a long line of controversies involving Diaz. However, it’s unclear what provoked the altercation or whether any charges will be filed against him.
Diaz is set to face Jake Paul inside the boxing ring on August 5 in Dallas, and his latest antics may have sent a message to his opponent. There’s no doubt that Diaz is a formidable opponent, but his unpredictable behavior outside the ring continues to raise questions about his future in combat sports.