Ex-UFC star Nate Diaz is one of MMA’s top fan favorites, but he wasn’t always seen in such a positive light by his former longtime employer.
Thanks to his entertaining style inside the cage and often wild antics away from UFC competition, Diaz cemented himself as a leading star in mixed martial arts.
The Stockton star has proved as much with a number of pay-per-view successes and a significant following.
But his ability to pull numbers in the UFC was once questioned by Dana White, who insisted that Diaz was “not a needle mover” during a period of contractual turbulence between the two parties.
Suffice to say, Diaz was not a fan of those remarks. And he didn’t miss the opportunity to let White know after playing his part in one of the UFC’s most financially successful events in history.
- READ MORE: Jon Jones is warned about awaking ‘angry Dana White’ if UFC heavyweight title uncertainty continues
Nate Diaz hit back at Dana White claiming he wasn’t a ‘needle mover’ after UFC 196 success
After beating Michael Johnson in his return from a year-long layoff, Diaz faced McGregor as a late-notice replacement for the injured Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 196.
The Californian submitted the Irishman in one of the all-time biggest upsets, which headlined an event that shot to the top of the UFC’s all-time highest PPV buy list at the time.
Having proved his ability to pull numbers less than two years on from the UFC president’s criticism, Diaz hit back at White’s comments during an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour.
“That’s cold, Dana,” Diaz said. ”They [the UFC] had a deal with FOX. They had to reach certain numbers. You know how the deals work with this, they have to hit certain numbers for FOX, like ratings. In this month, you’ve got to hit these certain numbers, or however it works. So they’re putting all the headliners on the FOX shows. They’re like, we’ll get this guy who’s the needle mover, and we won’t have to pay him extra for it.
“They’re like, ‘This is free TV.’ I’m like, wait, wait, wait, let’s not get it twisted. Free for motherf–kers at home who aren’t paying for pay-per-view. But you guys are getting paid. That’s how it works. So I understood what was going on. They wanted to be like, that’s why you’re not on pay-per-view [because you’re not a needle mover]. I already knew what was up.
“This isn’t newly developed information for me. I was up on the game. Because I cussed a little and told people to f–k off, this guy is stupid and we don’t want to hear that? Like I’m some educated motherf–ker talking about numbers, what do I know?”
- READ MORE: Charles Oliveira picked to beat Ilia Topuria by top 10 UFC lightweight due to one key advantage
Diaz continued, outlining his strategic approach to fight opportunities for the future.
“I’m going to maximize my potential. Whatever I can get out of this, I’m going to get. Rip and take. I’m not going to sit back and say I’ll fight anybody. Nah, I’ve been there. I’ve done that. I don’t have to say that. Now I’m like, f–k you, pay me, motherf–ker.
“Even my last fight, they’re like, ‘Finally you’re getting paid, congratulations.’ No, that’s reimbursement, is what that is. I haven’t even been paid yet, and I’m going to continue to represent for my s–t and say what’s what and get what’s mine, because no one wants to see no other fight.”
Nate Diaz has a three-man hitlist for his targeted UFC return
These days, the 40-year-old isn’t under the UFC banner. Diaz submitted Tony Ferguson to fight out his contract in September 2022.
He has since competed in a pair of professional boxing bouts, first losing to YouTuber-turned-pugilist Jake Paul in 2023. The following year, Diaz beat Jorge Masvidal in a rematch of their UFC 244 BMF showdown to move his pro boxing record to an even 1-1.
Nothing is confirmed regarding Diaz’s next combat sports outing, but he did recently tease a return to MMA’s biggest stage.
“I plan on going back to the UFC,” Diaz said on the HJR Podcast. “If they have me, I would like to go back and f—ing whoop someone’s ass there.
“I’m not fighting in there because there’s nobody to fight really. It’s kinda slow rolling. Whenever [McGregor] is back, me and him for sure got unfinished business. Got to happen.
Diaz went on to mention another push for the symbolic BMF title, branding it the “most entertaining” part of the UFC.
“Those are the guys right there who I wanna fight, like Max Holloway. But, besides that, I would like to fight other guys [who are] really good too.
“[Ilia] Topuria, he’s really good. But he’s smaller than me.”
With talk of the UFC lacking the kind of star names it once boasted, perhaps the promotion will look to rectify that with one final Octagon run for Diaz.