The rumor mill is swirling over a possible UFC comeback for Nate Diaz, and an ex-hunter has heard positive things from the man himself.
Diaz has no longer participated in the UFC since 2022 when he fought his contract in a Pay-per-view main event against fellow veteran Tony Ferguson. That matchup came about in the short term after the original opponent of the Stockton star, Khamzat Chimaev, missed the weight.
Diaz ended his term of office in style and submitted Ferguson with a guillotine choke on UFC 279, a result that at least many left behind with a appetite for more of the fan favorite in the Octagon.
And if this UFC legend has to be believed, chances are that they will get their wish.
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Chael Sonnen Trust Nate Diaz will return to the UFC after he has spoken with him
The 40-year-old participated in a few boxing competitions in the three years since the UFC leaves. After Diaz first lost to Jake Paul, he became revenge on the man who was responsible for his penultimate defeat in the Octagon. Five years away from their BMF showdown in Madison Square Garden, Diaz Jorge Masvidal defeated in the Ring to avenge his setback of 2019.
The former UFC title Challenger has not yet fought, despite the fact that Paul Diaz offers a rematch in MMA and Josh Thomson who claim that the agents of Diaz have a contract for a fight.
In recent weeks, instead, Stockton's native post about Max Holloway and his BMF -Riem have seen on social media, and Chael Sonnen says that UFC Comeback Talk is more than just unfounded rumors after he himself spoke with Diaz.
“I don't believe Nate will come back to every 155 ponder,” Sonen said on ESPN MMA's Good Guy/Bad Guy YouTube show. “I noticed when Nate calls, sometimes he defends when he fought at 155.
“I don't think that's in his cards, but I think – and I spoke to Nate personally – a return is more possible than some people give the credit.”
Nate Diaz shared a Hitlist for his potential UFC -3
It seems that Diaz has been thinking about a UFC Combackback for a while and he even has a few names with which he would like to share the cage.
Earlier this year, Diaz shared a three-man UFC hit list for his potential return, starting with a long-awaited trilogy against Conor McGregor.
“I intend to go back to the UFC,” Diaz said at the HJR -Podcast. “If they have me, I would like to go back and f – who is someone there.
“I don't fight there because there is no one to really fight. It is quite slowly rolling.
“When he is back,” Diaz said, when he was asked for a trilogy fight with McGregor. “Me and he certainly got an unfinished things. Must happen.”
The Stockton star continued to mention two other names: Holloway, the holder of the belt he has accepted, and the current lightweight King Ilia Topuria, who came out Charles Oliveira to reach a second throne at the end of June.
“(The BMF title is) The most entertaining S – that's. I hope you (Holloway) know you are wearing my belt,” Diaz said.
“Those are the guys there I want to fight like Max Holloway. But I would also like to fight other guys, also very good … Topuria, he's really good.”