Nate Diaz is undoubtedly a ‘Needle Mover’ in the UFC. However, his fighting style is no match for the new age of modern gladiators!
Nate Diaz was the talk of the town during the lead-up to his, now canceled fight, with Khamzat Chimaev! Originally scheduled for five rounds, the bout was scrapped, in the aftermath of Chimaev missing weight, and the entire press conference fiasco.
The fight was the final one on Diaz’s UFC contract. After a tremendous 15-year tenure with the promotion, which was filled with ups and downs, the pair parted in a respectful manner. A tearful goodbye to a legend of the sport.
Diaz’s encounters with the likes of Anthony Pettis, Cowboy Cerrone, Tony Ferguson, and most notably, the contest, that propelled him to superstardom, Conor McGregor are engraved into the octagon’s story for years to come.
His final victory inside the octagon, against the great Tony Ferguson, was in typical, symbolic Nate Diaz fashion. A rare naked choke, once he set foot into the championship rounds.
Nate Diaz was talking about being fatigued due to a strategic training camp for his, now scrapped, scrimmage with Khamzat Chimaev!
In a newly released footage, Nate Diaz, in the aftermath of his triumph, can be heard talking to his coach Richard Perez.
The Stockton representative indicated his exhaustion was due to the lack of stand-up training for what can be only a strategic decision, expecting a fight with wrestling ace, Khamzat Chimaev!
The Diaz brothers introduced the concept of prolonging a fight, to utilize their exceptional endurance and durability to outlast their opponent.
Due to the fact that Diaz was expecting a tough and grapple-heavy opponent, his entire camp and strategy revolved around being taken down and then utilizing his Jiu-Jitsu, to work his way to a submission.
Nate can be heard saying-
“The whole camp, I didn’t punch. I was doing wrestling. So I was getting tired throwing those punches.”
As the years have passed, the inactivity sustained by Nate has taken a toll on his body to remain effective throughout five rounds. Despite being a triathlete, the sport of MMA takes a heavy toll on your physical as well as mental health.
Do you reckon we’ll ever see the UFC veteran grace the octagon once again?
Also read: Nate Diaz Demands a Dwayne Johnson Bout After Chastising the Controversial UFC & Project Rock Deal
