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Nate Diaz made his UFC debut back in 2007 when he appeared for The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale against Manvel Gamburyan. He soon shot to fame and, despite not winning any titles along the way, transformed into a superstar.
He has gone through several phases in his MMA career. From complaining publicly about his pay and rejecting career-defining fights to shocking the MMA world on short notice. Love him or hate him, the fight business is better with Nate Diaz in it.
Nate Diaz has gone 2-2 over the last five years, and the last time he won was in August 2019. However, it would be absurd to write Nate off just yet, and in this article, we look at three reasons why.
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#3 - Nate Diaz is desperate to bounce back
Nate Diaz's last fought at UFC 244 in 2019, in a bout for the BMF belt against Jorge Masvidal. 'The Stockton Slugger' suffered a TKO loss via doctor stoppage after Masvidal cut him open. He has been sitting out ever since but now faces the No.3-ranked welterweight fighter, Leon Edwards. It is not a regular occurrence for an unranked fighter to go against one of the top contenders, which shows Nate Diaz's influence in MMA circles.
Nate Diaz has made it clear that he is looking to fight at least twice this year. With UFC 263 happening in June, Nate has plenty of options to turn to after getting done with Edwards. A rematch against Jorge Masvidal for the BMF title is long overdue. Meanwhile, there have been talks about Nate fighting Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier and even Charles Oliveira.
However, with Diaz unwilling to come down to the lightweight division, it seems unlikely that either lightweight would want to climb up. Diaz could see the welterweight division open up if he beats in Leon Edwards.
Nate Diaz is at a crucial juncture in his career, and it would be foolish to write him off just yet.
#2 - Nate Diaz will be a real problem for Leon Edwards at UFC 263
It is true that most of Nate Diaz's recent fights, except Jorge Masvidal, were against lightweights Conor McGregor and Anthony Pettis, who were testing the welterweight waters. But Leon Edwards is a true welterweight, and his size and strength could give Nate Diaz a hard time inside the octagon.
However, 'The Stockton Slugger' has experience fighting bigger men. Diaz fought and lost to Rory MacDonald. 'Ares,' however, won because he out-wrestled Nate. This is unlikely to happen with Leon Edwards, who is more of a striker. This leaves Nate Diaz as the superior grappler inside the octagon, and if matters are taken to the floor, Edwards might find himself in trouble at UFC 263.
While Leon Edwards is a superior striker than Nate Diaz, the Stockton native has handled clinical and efficient strikers before, like Jorge Masvidal and Conor McGregor. Against 'Gamebred,' a doctor's stoppage forced Nate to concede the fight. He also defeated McGregor at UFC 196 and then put on a striking clinic in a rematch at UFC 202. Although the Irishman won the second encounter, Nate Diaz was not far off on the decision cards.
This suggests that there is no reason to write Nate Diaz off, especially against Leon Edwards. The five-round event will be familiar territory for Nate, if not a stronghold. Although he's not a favorite for UFC 263, there is a good chance the younger Diaz brother will "surprise" the MMA world again.
#1 - Nate Diaz is yet to win a title
The Diaz brothers have been famous for shaking up the MMA world and creating history. While Nick Diaz usually sets the path for his younger brother, he is often one-upped by Nate. This was the case when 'The Stockton Slugger' won The Ultimate Fighter 5, and when he defeated the most popular fighter on the planet, Conor McGregor.
While Nick Diaz has tasted gold in different MMA promotions, Nate Diaz is yet to win a title. The UFC even created a symbolic belt, perhaps for Nate, called the 'Baddest Motherf***er' or the BMF belt in 2019. However, Nate suffered an unlucky loss to Jorge Masvidal and missed a rare chance to win gold.
His lack of a UFC title could motivate Diaz to come out strong against Leon Edwards. A win against the Briton would make him a leading contender for the welterweight title. Diaz could also avenge his loss against 'Gamebred' if the UFC book the two for a rematch.
With the promotion in talks with Nick Diaz for a possible return, it seems that MMA fans will get to witness the final phase of the Diaz brothers era in the sport.
