Nate Diaz remains at odds with the UFC over his contract status, and whether he will complete the last fight under his current agreement. However Dana White discredits the claims that the promotion holds him captive.
During a recent appearance at The MMA Hour , Diaz criticized the UFC for failing to book him as he sought to end his contract for free agency. He stated, “They don’t want me to out of contract, and they’re keeping me inside there, and they’re holding me hostage .”
In response, White explained that it’s impossible for the UFC to prevent Diaz from competing because the organization is required to offer him so many fights per year or otherwise be forced to compensate him for sitting on the sidelines.
” “When isn’t Nate Diaz being crazy?” White stated at UFC Long Island’s post-fight press conference. “I’ve said this a million times and I’ll say it again — we can’t hold guys hostage. This is impossible.
” I owe three fights per year. You must pay me three fights a year if I do not fight you. How can I make him a slave ?”
Diaz said that Conor McGregor would be a UFC fighter, but that he didn’t want that fight to take place. Conor McGregor is not expected to make it to the UFC until the late 2022 to early 2023 because of a broken leg he suffered in his last bout.
Diaz said that while he is open to returning to UFC in the future, at the moment he wants to get out of his contract and look for other possibilities.
According to White, the UFC has made every effort to book Diaz in a fight, but for whatever reason, nothing has been signed to this point.
” What do you think are my plans? White stated that we were going to fight him. We’ll watch and see what happens.
” I have to book him at least three fights per year. I offer fights, he either accepts them or turns them down. He refuses to pay me so I offered him fights .”
Typically fighter contracts can be extended when an athlete becomes unable to fight — such as by refusing to take part in a fight, or because of injury. Diaz has not appeared in UFC since losing to Leon Edwards June 2021..
White refused to get into the he said, she said game about Diaz accepting or declining fights, but he promised that UFC matchmakers have talked to the former The Ultimate Fighter competitor about returning to action.
Diaz stated that UFC’s only two heavyweight champions are Israel Adesanya and Francis Ngannou. However, he said they are the only “worthy opponents”. He didn’t want to fight either of them because he likes those guys .”
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White could only scoff at that suggestion as he grew tired answering hypotheticals where Diaz was concerned.
“What should I say to that?” White said. “Imagine having a f****** conversation like that? Come on .”
For now, Diaz remains in purgatory as he awaits word on another fight, but it appears he’s at a standstill with the UFC on actually making that happen any time soon.
