Ongoing contract discussions between the UFC and Nate Diazone of the promotion’s biggest stars, went public on Tuesday when both Diaz and President Dana White commented on the situation.
On Monday, Diaz (20-13) asked the UFC to either release him from his contract or book him to fight by August. He also indicated his desire to turn the YouTube star into a professional boxer Jake Paul. He attached his post to a video of Paul kicking out the former UFC champ Tyrone Woodley in December.
“UFC release now please or give me the fight with anyone in July or August,” Diaz wrote on Twitter. “I’ve got the most number to do.”
At a press conference Tuesday in Salt Lake City, UFC President Dana White commented on promotion efforts to book Diaz’s next fight.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do,” White told MacLife’s Oscar Willis. “I love Nate, [but] Let’s be honest. Nate won one fight in five or six years. When these people take over these positions, you have men who have been with us for a long time, that we respect and care about…You want to be fair and do the right thing, whatever. Nate Diaz won’t come and fight [welterweight champion] Camaro Usman. We try to do our best, we try not to turn to anyone or disrespect anyone. …maybe he should go on and fight Jack Paul. This is a logical battle.”
Diaz replied On White’s remarks later Tuesday, he tweeted, “Send the statement.”
Diaz (20-13, 37, hasn’t fought since losing unanimously to Leon Edwards in June 2021. He has not a single fight left in his UFC contract, and for the better part of the year he has been publicly demanding that the promotion be booked for him in that final fight. Diaz has expressed interest in taking on many opponents, including Dustin PoirierAnd the Vicente Luke And the Tony Ferguson.
The UFC offered Diaz a fight in 2022 against high welterweight Khamza ShemayevAccording to the sources. However, Diaz rejected it, citing Shemayev’s inexperience in the company. He referred to Chimayev as a “newbie” in a comment to TMZ in December.
Despite White’s comments regarding Diaz’s boxing Paul (5-0, 4 KOs), his next fight is unlikely as he is still under contract with the UFC.
According to sources, Diaz and the UFC have discussed a new deal in the past, but neither side has publicly commented on the possibility of one at some point. In March, White said he thought Diaz’s chance of re-signing with the UFC was “pretty good”.
This isn’t the first time Diaz has publicly asked to be released by the UFC. As he did in March. Diaz’s representatives declined to comment further when contacted by ESPN on Tuesday.