"Bullying, that's his thing" - When Nate Diaz explained why he slapped Khabib Nurmagomedov at WSOF in 2015

Nate Diaz is among the most well-known fighters in the MMA world and is widely known for his no-nonsense tough-guy persona. The Stockton native has never shied away from confrontation and has been involved in several altercations during his time in the UFC.

One of his most infamous bust-ups came against none other than Khabib Nurmagomedov. While the two have had several run-ins over the years, their most notable altercation occurred at a World Series of Fighting Show in 2015.

Nate Diaz was at the event to support his teammate, Jake Shields, who was competing, when he ran into Nurmagomedov and his team. Things turned ugly when someone on Nurmagomedov's team took a group picture with Diaz in the background to make fun of the Stockton native.

After Diaz retaliated by slapping Khabib Nurmagomedov in the face, he was kicked out of the arena. Diaz then waited outside the venue to confront 'The Eagle' whenever he came out. Eventually, the matter was settled, and nobody got seriously hurt.

In a 2019 interview with Ariel Helwani, Nate Diaz recalled the incident and said:

I’m not into this bully s***, he’s into bullying and stuff, that’s his thing. When I ran into him and his team at the World Series, I was standing there watching Jake, my friend, fight. And they took a group picture with me behind them, just to laugh at me, make fun of me... They’re all laughing, 12 Russian dudes. I slapped him in his face for making fun of me."

Catch Diaz's comments below (47:30):

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Nate Diaz on Khabib Nurmagomedov's UFC Hall of Fame induction

Nate Diaz had some strong opinions about Khabib Nurmagomedov's induction into the UFC Hall of Fame.

'The Eagle' was inducted into the promotion's 2022 Hall of Fame class after calling it a career in October 2020. He retired as an undefeated and undisputed lightweight champion.

Known as one of the most dominant UFC champions in recent memory, he beat several world-class fighters like Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje.

Nevertheless, Nate Diaz wasn't happy about Khabib Nurmagomedov's HOF placement. In an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour last year, he said:

"Khabib’s a f*cking little b*tch... Who did he beat for the title he got? Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje? They’ve both been finished off...You are a scared fighter, scared of fighting the whole time."

He continued:

"And now you’re in the Hall of Fame or something? I was here before the Hall of Fame even showed up, actually... I don’t even want nothing to do with the Hall of Fame."

Watch the full interview below: