"UFC just don't want to let him out" - Jake Shields weighs in on Nate Diaz's "weird" situation with UFC

Jake Shields feels that the UFC isn't announcing a matchup featuring Nate Diaz because the promotion isn't willing to let him out of his contract. The Stockton native has just one fight left on his current deal and seems unwilling to extend it.

The UFC, however, is seemingly playing hardball and refusing to allow Diaz to end his contract ahead of a departure. According to his friend and former UFC welterweight Jake Shields, the promotion wants Diaz to continue fighting inside the octagon.

During an interview with Helen Yee, he said that he hasn't spoken to the 37-year-old about his situation with the UFC in the past couple of weeks, but confirmed that the Stockton native is looking to fight.

Shields also revealed that Diaz initially refused to fight Khamzat Chimaev because he hadn't fought a top-10 ranked contender at the time.

However, after 'Borz' defeated Gilbert Burns at UFC 273, Diaz apparently wanted to fight him but didn't receive a response.

"He always said he wants to fight top 10 because they offered him Khamzat. He wasn't sure but then he said he'd fight him after the Burns fight, once, you know, he finally beat a ranked opponent and then they went off from the fight after he asked for it. So, seems like it's been kind of weird, I think. It's the last fight of his contract, the UFC just don't want to let him out of his contract."

Watch the interview below:

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Jake Shields doesn't think Nick Diaz will be afforded an immediate title shot in his next fight

Jake Shields also said that Nick Diaz is healthier than he was when he made his UFC return and is ready to start training for his next fight. Shields claimed that Diaz couldn't train properly for the rematch with Robbie Lawler due to an injury, but is well and recovered now.

While he'd like the Stockton native to fight someone ranked within the top 10 in the welterweight division, Shields doesn't think that the UFC will afford Diaz an immediate title shot. As much as he'd love to see Nick Diaz vs. Kamaru Usman, it's a fight that is unlikely to go down anytime soon, claimed Jake Shields.

"[I'd like to see him go up against] a big name but I would say not probably for the title first because, realistically, he lost but I'd like to see him fight someone in the top 10."

Diaz recently claimed that he'd like to fight Kamaru Usman for the title and believes that he could defeat the reigning welterweight champ if they were to share the octagon.