Breakdown of Nate Diaz’s Three-Fight Hit List
Nate Diaz will always be a fan favorite for his gangster persona and aggressive fighting style. Doesn’t matter what stage of his career he’s in, fans will show up and show out for the ‘Stockton Slugger’. Diaz recently said he has ‘unfinished business’ in the UFC and listed three fighters he wants to fight when he returns. I will break down what a potential fight against Conor McGregor, Ilia Topuria, and Max Holloway would look like for Nate Diaz if he is somehow able to secure those fights.
Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor III
This has been a matchup that fans have been waiting for since their last fight in 2016. They fought twice that year. In the first fight, Diaz was able to pull off the upset, becoming the first person in the UFC to beat McGregor, submitting him by rear-naked choke in the second round. They would fight again later in the year, and McGregor was able to get his win back, winning the contest by majority decision. With the series between the two being tied 1-1, it would be an exciting fight between two fighters well past their primes. McGregor hasn’t fought since he lost to Dustin Poirier in 2021, and it looks like his return fight against Michael Chandler is all but in the distant past. Both fighters are not what they used to be, so even though it's not the most competitive contest we are accustomed to seeing, I think at some point these two will bite down on their mouthpiece and just throw down, and the crowd will be insane.
Nate Diaz vs. Ilia Topuria
In his prime, with his high-level grappling and stone chin, I think Diaz would make this an extremely competitive matchup. The 40-year-old just doesn’t have the same hand speed and quickness that he used to, and I don’t think he’s going to be strong enough to outgrapple Topuria in those exchanges. With Ilia Topuria scheduled to fight Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, if he were to lose that fight and not win the title, his options are going to be limited for what’s next. If Diaz comes back, he could honestly get that fight, kind of like he would have against Khamzat Chimaev. I don’t think this would be a competitive matchup, and I think Diaz would get finished rather early, but if we have learned anything, it is to never count out a Diaz.
Nate Diaz vs. Max Holloway for the BMF Title
This is a fight I’m surprised we haven’t seen at some point throughout their careers. If Max Holloway can retain his title against Dustin Poirier, he may be at a point in his career when he is content in taking fights that he enjoys and that payout for him. If Ilia loses to Charles, having beaten Dustin and Justin Gaethje, he may have himself a Lightweight title fight shortly. If things don’t unfold like that, he may be enticed to fight Diaz with or without the BMF title. It would be an exciting matchup even though Holloway is a way better overall striker, but Diaz will make it dirty, and we now know that Holloway’s chin can be broken, so a clean shot could change the fight. If Diaz incorporates grappling into the gameplay, he could find some real success.
Nate Diaz will always have fans backing him and supporting him whenever he steps foot in the octagon. Now, he may just be calling these guys out to draw some attention to himself so Dana White will hit his phone up and try to work out a deal. However, if he can secure any of these fights, I think fans everywhere will be happy and tune in. We will see what happens and if Diaz is truly serious or not about making a return to the UFC after he hung it up in 2022.
