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With a career spanning 18 years, Nate Diaz is one of the most long-tenured fighters in the UFC. Generation after generation of fight fans were introduced to the unapologetic authenticity of brothers Nate and Nick Diaz. While his older brother is known for his storied feud with former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre, Nate Diaz is instead celebrated for his shocking upset victory over Conor McGregor at UFC 196.
Since then, the former lightweight contender has faced the Irishman in a rematch before having hotly-anticipated bouts with Anthony Pettis and Jorge Masvidal. Now on the last fight of his UFC contract, Diaz is slated to lock horns with undefeated phenom Khamzat Chimaev in the headline bout of the upcoming UFC 279 pay-per-view.
It will be the Stockton legend's farewell bout in the promotion, opening the door for a range of different career paths that this list will detail.
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#5. Nate DIaz can turn to acting
If Diaz pursues acting as his post-UFC career path, he will not be the first big name from the promotion to appear on the silver screen. Randy Couture famously appeared in the Expendables film franchise, while Canadian great Georges St-Pierre made a cameo in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Batroc the Leaper.
That was the case with not only GSP, but the likes of Ronda Rousey and Michael Bisping, both of whom have made limited appearances in different movies, Nate Diaz could be given a small role designed to draw upon his popularity as the fighter who handed Conor McGregor his first UFC loss.
Whether it's in a Fast & Furious movie or a new one altogether, Diaz could make an acting debut that would require little of him in the way of acting skill.
#4. Nate Diaz can become a full-time triathlete
Diaz is well-known in the world of combat sports for his exceptional cardio. The one-time UFC lightweight title challenger throws punches at a considerable volume, overwhelming his foes with his relentless pace until they wilted before his neverending stream of strikes.
This level of cardio is facilitated by and perhaps even owed to Diaz's past hobby as a triathlete.
Taking part in triathlons since he turned 18, Diaz once claimed that the versatility of triathlons attracted him because, just like MMA, he must take multiple different variables into account like running, swimming and cycling in order to excel. With the end of his UFC career on the horizon, Diaz will have far more time on his hands.
With it, he can pursue triathlons with more regularity than he was able to due to his UFC obligations no longer demanding a chunk of his time and energy, perhaps even pursuing it as a professional.
#3. Nate Diaz can become a coach
While most fight fans might consider a career as a coach to be an odd step in the career of the younger Diaz brother, it is not as far removed from his interests as it might initially seem.
During the leadup to their now infamous bout at UFC 196, Conor McGregor highlighted the fact that Nate Diaz is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor for children.
Diaz, who has always expressed a belief in the superiority of his martial artistry over every other fighter in the UFC, with the exception of his older brother, could share his breadth of MMA knowledge by transitioning into a full-time coaching role.
He has already helped his brother run the Nick Diaz Academy, so a career as a coach might allow him to remain in the sport he's been a part of for over a decade without having to put himself in harm's way.
#2. Nate Diaz can sign with Bellator
One of the gripes Diaz has expressed with the UFC throughout the years is the promotion's inflexibility when it comes to its stance on him competing in other forms of combat sports while under contract with them.
The UFC's defense is its wariness about allowing its fighters to compete in other combat sports due to the risk of those very fighters injuring themselves and ultimately throwing a wrench in the promotion's potential plans for their bouts. An MMA promotion where Nate Diaz will not face as much resistance on that front is Bellator.
Scott Coker is more open to negotiating terms with his fighters and allowing them to pursue challenges elsewhere while still under contract. His willingness to schedule a potential bout between Cris Cyborg and current PFL women's lightweight champion Kayla Harrison is one example, while him allowing Michael 'Venom' Page to take part in a bare-knuckle boxing match with Mike Perry is another.
#1. Nate Diaz can box Jake Paul
The history between Nate Diaz and Jake Paul is a surprisingly storied one. The one-time UFC lightweight title challenger once warned the younger Paul brother against pursuing trash talk with professional fighters, stating that one day he'll cross paths with a fighter who won't be as forgiving as others have been.
Diaz took it a step further by dismissing Ben Askren's assertion that Jake Paul was somewhat good at boxing, describing the former ONE world champion as a wrestler who can neither box nor fight to attack the merits behind Askren's statement. Paul, in turn, responded by reminding Diaz that the Stockton legend has six times the losses Askren does.
The saga culminated in Nate Diaz teasing a bout with 'The Problem Child' on Twitter during his public feud with the UFC as he campaigned for a release so he could pursue other ventures. With his final UFC fight finally booked, Nate Diaz can commit himself to a matchup with Paul in its aftermath.
