Islam Makhachev believes his viral backstage feud with Nate Diaz in Las Vegas may have been a case of mistaken identity.
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and Nate Diaz don't have an extensive history of beef between them, and their recent backstage brouhaha may be inadvertently due to Diaz's long-standing feud with his mentor.
Makhachev will face Arman Tsarukyan in the UFC 311 main event later this month in Los Angeles. He returns to the Octagon for his final title defense after a Fight of the Year contender against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 last year.
Ahead of UFC 311, Makhachev, Tsarukyan and the co-main event fighters were in Las Vegas for a pre-fight press conference to promote the upcoming event. While leaving the venue after press, Makhachev and his team encountered Diaz, who began throwing water bottles with members of Makhachev's circle.
Diaz has since been defended by a UFC flyweight star who claimed he did not cause the incident. Although the details surrounding the altercation are still unclear, Makhachev believes it all started because of a misunderstanding.
Photos by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Islam Makhachev is giving his side of the recent altercation with Nate Diaz
During a recent appearance on the MightyCast with Demetrious Johnson, Makhachev responded to the viral backstage altercation with Diaz.
“I was sitting with Dana and he said, 'You were a troublemaker!', but I told Dana it wasn't my fault,” Makhachev said. “Diaz started showing us [the middle finger]but for what? Maybe it's good for someone, it's not a problem, but it's not our style. One of our guys was wearing a mask, but he was a little sick, and maybe Diaz thought it was Khabib…
“Khabib wasn't in Las Vegas, it was just another guy from another country…maybe 5 to 6 months ago I met Diaz in an elevator. He said: 'Respect, respect!'. But what has changed now? Will there be cameras?”
Diaz and Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev's old teammate and current coach, have a checkered past. Diaz punched Nurmagomedov at a 2015 event and has repeatedly labeled the UFC Hall of Famer as “not a real fighter.”
Despite being in the same division for years, Nurmagomedov and Diaz never clashed inside the Octagon. Nurmagomedov retired from fighting in 2020 after defeating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
Diaz retired from the UFC following a win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279. Since then, he has competed in two professional boxing matches against Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal and is targeting a possible return to the UFC Octagon.
Islam Makhachev confused by Nate Diaz's actions after the UFC 311 press conference
Makhachev and Diaz will likely never cross paths inside the Octagon, but outside of it, things remain uncertain. Diaz has repeatedly shot at members of Team Khabib over the years after temporarily easing his feud with Nurmagomedov.
At the time of writing, Diaz has not responded to Makhachev's allegations and theories. A return timeline in boxing or MMA is uncertain as he plots his next move.
Nurmagomedov will be in Makhachev's corner for his upcoming title defense at UFC 311. If Diaz is willing to cooperate, he could get the chance to confront Nurmagomedov head-on after a possible accidental collision backstage.
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