Nate Diaz scheduled for preliminary court hearing in New Orleans fight case

Former UFC star Nate Diaz has to return to New Orleans for a court case regarding his involvement in the now-infamous Bourbon Street Brawl.

By: Kristen King | 5 months ago
Nate Diaz scheduled for preliminary court hearing in New Orleans fight case
Nate Diaz at official weigh-ins for UFC 244 in Nov. 2019 | IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

Nate Diaz is due for a preliminary court hearing on June 27 following his involvement in a street fight this past April. The former UFC fighter was caught on camera choking Logan Paul lookalike and influencer Rodney Peterson unconscious following a Misfits Boxing event in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

After Diaz released Peterson from the choke, the latter fell and hit his head on concrete, which he later claimed resulted in a head injury that required aid from Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) investigated and issued an arrest warrant for Diaz on suspicion of second-degree battery, a felony that could carry a penalty of up to eight years in prison and/or a $2,000 fine.

Diaz turned himself in to the NOPD this past Thursday. He was granted and posted bond, with ‘full permission from the court to resume travel,’ per his representative Zach Rosenfield

“We appreciate how we were treated by the New Orleans Police Department, the court and their staff,” said Rosenfield in a statement. 

Nate Diaz claims self-defense in street fight

In the immediate aftermath of the street fight, Team Diaz has claimed that the 38-year-old was acting “entirely in self-defense” after he was approached by Peterson. 

“Nate’s attorney Walter Becker can confirm that Nate has received word of the arrest warrant and Becker has been in contact with court authorities in New Orleans,” said Rosenfield in another statement. “Nate’s attorney looks forward to presenting all of the facts about this incident to the District Attorney which clearly demonstrate that a trained fighter named Rodney Petersen aggressively pursued Nate with the intention of engaging him and once doing so, Nate acted entirely in self-defense. No further comment will be made at this time.”

Nate Diaz makes boxing debut against Jake Paul

Diaz split with the UFC upon the completion of his current contract this past September. The former Ultimate Fighter winner submitted Tony Ferguson via fourth-round guillotine choke at UFC 279, where he announced he would ‘get out of the UFC for a minute’ and move to another sport: boxing. 

That led to Diaz securing an eight-round boxing match with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, which is scheduled for Sat., Aug. 5, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The street fight incident is not expected to impact Paul vs. Diaz. 

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About the author
Kristen King
Kristen King

Kristen King is a writer for Bloody Elbow. She has covered combat sports since 2016, getting her start with outlets such as FanSided, MyMMANews and MMA-Prospects. She joined the BE team in 2020, covering a mix of news, events and injuries. In her time with BE, Kristen has created ‘Fright of the Night,’ a series that highlights some of the worst injuries in the sport.

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