MMA Fantasy: What if Nate Diaz had knocked out Leon Edwards in the fifth round at UFC 263?

The fighting careers of Nate Diaz and Leon Edwards could have been significantly altered with a different result at UFC 263.

In June 2021, Diaz and Edwards were featured on the pay-per-view main card of UFC 263, which took place inside the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The fight ended with 'Rocky' winning by unanimous decision and had to battle through slight adversity, as the Stockton native nearly knocked him out in round five.

Edwards dominated most of the UFC 263 matchup with his high-level striking and distance control. Yet, Diaz had a moment in round five where he severely stunned 'Rocky' and taunted him instead of rushing in for a potential shocking comeback knockout to steal the win.

Since then, fans have wondered if Diaz could have finished Edwards if he didn't pause to mock him. Considering what happened in their next fights, a change in result for their June 2021 meeting could have created a massive butterfly effect.

Edwards earned a welterweight title shot against Kamaru Usman after defeating Diaz. Therefore, a loss against Diaz would have ended his eight-fight winning streak and potentially lead to him never fighting for UFC gold, leaving Usman as the undisputed 170-pound king.

Meanwhile, Diaz would have likely secured the title shot against Usman with a win at UFC 263. Although it's far-fetched, the Stockton native theoretically might have defeated 'The Nigerian Nightmare' and furthered his legacy by accomplishing the historic milestone of becoming an undisputed champion in the octagon.

Watch Nate Diaz stun Leon Edwards at UFC 263 below:

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Would Nate Diaz have parted ways with the UFC if he defeated Leon Edwards at UFC 263?

Following his loss against Leon Edwards, Nate Diaz fought Tony Ferguson in the UFC 279 main event. Diaz defeated Ferguson by fourth-round submission and utilized his post-fight interview to announce he would be temporarily parting ways with the promotion to pursue high-paying opportunities elsewhere.

Diaz had mentioned in the past that he wanted to leave the UFC and test free agency. Therefore, a different result against Edwards at UFC 263 may not have changed his decision, but it would give him more to think about.

As previously mentioned, Diaz could have been the one to shock the world and dethrone Kamaru Usman. It's difficult to imagine he would have vacated the title and parted ways with the promotion without extending his tenure.

Nate Diaz has voiced his interest in re-joining the UFC before retiring. In the meantime, he's preparing for a 10-round boxing match against fellow superstar Jorge Masvidal, which goes down on July 6 inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.