5 reasons Nate Diaz’s legacy will never be impacted by his losses

Nate Diaz's combat sports campaign in August was both successful and unsuccessful. In terms of financial gain, it was a resounding success as he reportedly made more money boxing Jake Paul than he did during his entire UFC tenure. As a fighter who has always been vocal about his self-worth, it's a win.

However, the Stockton MMA legend also tasted failure. He suffered a loss to Jake Paul, a man he has frequently dismissed as a novice at fighting: an inexperienced pretender who would rue the day he crosses paths with a true fighter like himself. Yet, neither Nate Diaz's legacy nor his ego has taken a blow from the loss.

As has always been the case, the former UFC standout endeared himself to the internet with his efforts. But how is it that a fighter with 21 wins and 13 losses can keep losing—especially to the likes of Jake Paul, given his past rhetoric—and emerge with his legacy and reputation unscathed?

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#5. Fans have no illusions about Nate Diaz's potential as a fighter

Despite the fanfare surrounding him, most MMA fans recognize that Nate Diaz was never, and will never be a world champion. He isn't regarded as an elite among elites, so no one actually expects him to reach the same heights that others like Conor McGregor and Israel Adesanya have.

Instead, Diaz is recognized for what he is: an entertaining fighter, who no one expects to challenge for world titles. Thus, he is not held to the same standards that other fighters are. Furthermore, given that Nate Diaz often faces opponents expected to defeat him, his losses don't deal much damage to his legacy.

He was supposed to lose in the eyes of fans, which not only lessens the blow of defeats but also makes any surprise wins more memorable. In short, the losses don't sting because he was supposed to lose, but the wins are excessively celebrated because he wasn't supposed to win and defied the odds.

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#4. Nate Diaz's antics in the cage and ring

Almost every Nate Diaz fight in recent memory features a 'greatest hits' of sorts regarding his theatrics. He'll point, flip his opponents off, land a Stockton slap, and casually walk away from them in deliberate shows of bravado. These moments help distract fans from the one-sided nature of several of his losses.

When he faced Benson Henderson at lightweight in his only UFC title fight, the younger Diaz brother lost in a lopsided fashion. But all fans remember from the bout is Diaz flipping Henderson off on the mat. Similarly, he was brutalized by future UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards.

But the only memory fans have of that bout is Diaz rocking his foe, before pointing and flipping him off. His theatrics were in full effect against Jake Paul as well, with Nate Diaz even teasing a guillotine choke towards the end. These moments are often regarded as moral victories by fans during bouts he is otherwise losing in.

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#3. The Diaz cult following

There are people who only know of Stockton's 209 area code because of the Diaz brothers. In fact, the sheer strength of the Diaz brothers' popularity has caused countless people, who aren't even from Stockton, to represent the city and its area code. Given the pair's rich history in MMA, it's easy to see why.

Nick Diaz is a former Strikeforce welterweight champion, who had one of the UFC's most memorable feuds with Hall of Fame legend Georges St-Pierre. Similarly, Nate Diaz's historic rivalry with former UFC double champion Conor McGregor greatly elevated his profile.

Due to the Diaz brothers being the only noteworthy fighters from Stockton, they developed a massive cult following in the city that quickly grew. As fans became enamored with them for their notorious toughness and 'kill or be killed' attitudes, the Diaz brothers became cult MMA icons that were too beloved to fail.

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#2. The Diaz fight narrative

Both Nick and Nate Diaz have stated, at various points, that they are the best fighters in the world. It's a strong claim that neither man has ever had the strength of record or accomplishments to prove. They both failed in their only UFC title fights, have double-digit losses, and were never dominant fighters.

But that never meant anything because of how the Diaz brothers often controlled the narrative of their fights and careers. Nate Diaz is well-known for being a critic of wrestling, which is conveniently one of his greatest vulnerabilities inside the octagon, along with low kicks.

The 'BMF' claimant often dismisses wrestlers and anything that doesn't suit his static idea of fighting as not being 'real fighting,' and has even claimed that he has never really lost due to almost never being finished in his bouts. His combination of an iron chin and above-average cardio even sparked a pseudo-myth.

Fans often talk about how, were Diaz in a fight to the death, he'd win as there's no time limit. Renowned MMA coach Firas Zahabi echoed a similar statement when he said that Nate Diaz would win 99% of his wins, as he doesn't actually lose them, he just runs out of time. These narratives help alleviate the blow of losses.

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#1. Nate Diaz's persona and toughness

Never have fans seen Nate Diaz break during his bouts. Fighters, especially trash-talkers, are often put under a microscope, with many fans hoping to see them eat their words. It's a well-known model that boxers, kickboxers, and MMA fighters have used for decades.

Nate Diaz is a foul-mouthed trash-talker, who slaps and insults his opponents inside and outside the octagon. He has never broken, and this defiant persona has made him admirable to many fans. Thus, many people cling to his strong spirit and toughness as testaments to how 'real' he is.

His ability to withstand tremendous punishment and keep coming forward, even after suffering knockdowns, has earned him significant praise. Fans don't care if he loses, so long as he remains true to himself and doesn't get finished, even if his face is sliced open, a double front bicep pose while he's bleeding is enough.