Nate Diaz didn’t take too kindly to Dana White indicating that he didn’t want to fight the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2014.
Diaz’s numerous wars and memorable moments inside the Octagon have left him regarded as among the most game fighters to compete on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
But the Stockton star was not always seen as such by every figure in MMA. After his rematch against Conor McGregor, Diaz was described as “underappreciated” by Joe Rogan.
Talk of the Californian not being held as highly by White and the UFC existed years before, with one instance even seeing the promotion’s president bring Diaz’s toughness into question.
Nate Diaz pushed back on Dana White’s claim about Khabib Nurmagomedov
At the start of 2014, then-future UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was 21-0 in MMA and on the hunt for his next victim.
According to White, not a single soul in the division was interested in battling the Dagestani’s elite wrestling arsenal – a claim he made in response to a fan on social media pitching Nurmagomedov vs. Diaz.
The American fighter took issue with White tagging him alongside the claim, perceiving it as an allegation that he was ducking ‘The Eagle’.
Diaz fired back with a simple message.
“@danawhite @ufc are full of s–t,” Diaz wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I didn’t turn down anything…”
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Nate Diaz’s longtime feud with Khabib Nurmagomedov seemingly sparked recent reality show brawl
Not long after Diaz pushed back on claims he wouldn’t fight Nurmagomedov, their rivalry moved to another level.
At a World Series of Fighting event in August 2015, the Stockton fan favorite was seated behind a sizable contingent of Dagestanis, including ‘The Eagle’.
After the American was allegedly mocked, Diaz slapped Nurmagomedov, starting a brawl. A decade later, that slap seemingly resulted in another melee.
Diaz’s planned coaching stint opposite Jon Jones on Russia’s take on The Ultimate Fighter was recently called off. That was after a Russian fighter instigated a brawl with the American and his team, seemingly on account of the historical feud with Nurmagomedov.
After that failed reality show appearance, Diaz’s next step in combat sports is unclear.
The 40-year-old hasn’t competed in any form since a professional boxing victory over former UFC rival Jorge Masvidal in July 2024.