NEW YORK – Nate Diaz has given his fair share of rematches. Now it’s time the Stockton, Calif. native wants his.
After his UFC 244 headlining bout against Jorge Masvidal at Madison Square Garden was stopped by the cageside physician in between the third and fourth rounds, Diaz (20-12 MMA, 15-10 UFC) expressed his desire for a rematch.
There were a number of less-than-ideal circumstances surrounding Saturday’s fight, according to Diaz. Nursing a knee injury, Diaz wasn’t able to run the final three weeks of his UFC 244 fight camp. Additionally, he felt his brawl of a win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 241 was too recent. His face still hadn’t properly healed from the damage suffered at the hands of the former UFC and WEC lightweight champion.
“I knew they were going to throw me back in immediately, also,” Diaz said at the UFC 244 post-fight news conference. “Like why couldn’t after the Pettis fight it be six months? They want me under the most (expletive) up circumstances. If I’m going in under the most (expletive) up circumstances, a little more time would have been nice.”
Diaz said he wasn’t hurt by the cut. He jokingly added he bleeds if someone sneezes on him. Diaz also stated UFC president Dana White was making a bigger deal out of the laceration than was reality. To Diaz, the cut wasn’t any worse than others he’s sustained in the past.
For years, Diaz has shown varying degrees of interest in fighting, depending on the offers the UFC has placed on the table. After Saturday night, Diaz isn’t focused on anyone else except a rematch with Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC).
“If you’re the baddest (expletive), you’re going to take that win?” Diaz said. “It’s just like Conor (McGregor), when I fought Conor. It was a win; fair game. But I wasn’t finished. He knows I wasn’t finished. I was ready to rock. That’s my plan. That’s my next move. I would love to run it back. That’s the only thing I want to do. That’s my full intentions now.”
Despite his desire, Diaz is skeptical. He said he’s had a rocky relationship with the UFC with the past when it comes time to negotiate fights. Saturday night’s situation gives off a similar vibe, according to Diaz.
“I can already see the (expletive) coming,” Diaz said. “I know the game works. I give all the rematches and make names for all these people. I believe I was responsible for this whole (expletive). I brought the president – straight up. I didn’t see no president going to no title fights. I believe it’s fair.
“Hopefully, they don’t throw a bunch of money and clout Jorge’s way. They be like, ‘Let’s do something else.’ He’s got to fight number 27 again. Because that’s the name of the game when it’s repetitive. Dana’s already talking that (expletive), you know what I’m saying. I need to get my rematch and come back. Do things right, do things safe, come back 100 percent and win this fight. Seal the real deal.”
In order to “seal the real deal” Diaz said he’d be willing to extend the olive branch to the UFC. He indicated he wants to get along with promotion, if it meets him halfway.
“Don’t play me like you have,” Diaz said. “This is where it all starts. I can feel it already. If we’re going to do something else, don’t be telling me I’ve got to fight ‘Joe Blow’ over here. Because I don’t even want to hear that. And then saying, ‘We offered him fights. We offered him fights.’ I ain’t trying to hear all that. I plan on trying to get along with them. I hope they plan on getting along back.
“…My plan is to tell them all ‘(expletive) you’ and then hopefully we get along soon,” Diaz said. “Then let’s get back at it. That’s my plan. You’ve got to kill me in there. This whole (expletive) happened and I would like for it to happen again. (Expletive) you, with all due respect… Give me what the (expletive) I deserve. I believe I deserve a rematch. I’ve given mine.”
UFC 244 took place Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN2/ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.
Nate Diaz wants Jorge Masvidal rematch, but 'can already see the (expletive) coming'
