Held ‘Hostage’ Since 2012

Nate Diaz has made it no secret that he’s ready to leave Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

It’s been over a year since the one-time Lightweight title challenger has fought but it hasn’t been without a lack of trying. With one fight left on his contract, Diaz has been asking for fight after fight in the public eye and behind closed doors. However, according to him, UFC won’t let him go or get him booked.

“They haven’t offered me anybody,” Diaz told The MMA Hour. “I’ve been asking for fights since whenever. I asked for [Vicente] Luque, Tony Ferguson, four or five people and there was no go on their side. Then they finally offered Khamzat [Chimaev] and I gave them a little ‘what the f—k?’ Then I was like alright, why not? Let’s get it done and get it over with and I asked for the Khamzat fight then a bunch of excuses started happening.

“I was trying to get this s—t on the road, but they don’t want me out of contract and they’re keeping me in there and they’re holding me hostage,” he continued. “And I want out. That’s my main objective here. It’s been a big objective of mine since before I fought Ben Henderson.”

Diaz, 37, had his lone UFC title opportunity in Dec. 2012 opposite the then-champion, Henderson. Going the distance with “Smooth,” Diaz came up short via unanimous decision on the receiving end of one of the former champion’s best career performances.

Despite the emergent issues Diaz has expressed with the promotion, he highlights that back around that fight is when he truly started to have his current feelings.

“I feel like the best anything is getting paid a lot of f—king money. Golf, basketball, tennis, baseball, any sport, right?” Diaz said. “I feel like this is one of the hottest sports, I felt at the time in 2012 that was the most entertaining sport in the world. And I’m supposed to fight for a title for $45,000 to show and $45,000 to win. I flipped out right there just trying to sleep after I got convinced to sign this contract. I’m like, ‘what the f—k?’ I don’t think I’m the smartest guy in the world, but how come I’m the only one that’s about to say, ‘what the f—k? F—k that.’

“They’re slow-rolling me, they’re trying to keep me in contract,” he said. “And I’ve been doing all I can. I’ve never asked for so many fights in my life. … Even right now, they’re not letting me get in there and finish my contract.”

Diaz detailed that each time he’s tried to get out of his contract or get fights, UFC offers more and more money — to the point that he makes more than anyone except for perhaps his old rival, Conor McGregor. At this stage, Diaz couldn’t care less about the money.

“I don’t want any more money, I want out,” Diaz said. “I just want to depart. I’m over the whole UFC roster as of right now. All the guys that they can offer, everyone’s been used and abused, recycled. The Lightweight division is all recycled guys.

“My patience is over, I’m done with this s—t,” he concluded.