Nate Diaz is keeping a close eye on the UFC, but don’t expect him to jump back into the Octagon for just any fight. The Stockton legend is waiting for the right opponent, the right “buzz,” and frankly, he’s not seeing much of anything that interests him these days.
After his departure from the UFC following a victory over Tony Ferguson in 2022, Diaz has explored other avenues, including boxing matches against Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal. While UFC CEO Dana White has consistently left the door open for his return, Diaz remains selective.
“It’s about buzz and who’s popping and who’s doing something,” Diaz told Full Violence during a photoshoot. “Right now, there’s nobody doing shit in the UFC.”
Diaz specifically targeted the welterweight division, a familiar stomping ground, for his criticism. He seemed unimpressed with the current landscape, even struggling to recall the name of the current champion.
“Everybody’s boring right now so I’m trying to do other shit for the moment,” Diaz said. “But I want to go back and get a UFC title. I don’t want to fight for nothing. I want to fight for something. Right now there’s not anybody that’s that [entertaining]. Who’s the champion right now at 170? See exactly, that’s what I’m saying. Why would I go back to the UFC right now to fight who? I’m the champion as far as that’s concerned.”
That champion, of course, is Belal Muhammad. Diaz’s forgetfulness about Muhammad’s title reign underscores his point: a lack of star power and compelling matchups.
“Nobody, that’s why I’m not in there right now,” Diaz said. “I’m watching, I’m hoping for something. There’s no buzz, nobody’s doing shit, there’s nobody to fight, everybody’s whack. Every-single-body, boxing and MMA.”
Despite his current disinterest, Diaz hasn’t ruled out a UFC return. He’s simply waiting for the right moment, the right opponent, and the right level of excitement.
“I don’t think about it as done,” Diaz said about his legacy. “I think it’s underrated and I think I left more of an impact than anybody has really. I think Conor [McGregor] has in a way and then what my brother [Nick Diaz] did. ‘GSP’ (Georges St-Pierre) but that shit all gets forgotten about, too. It can’t go away because you ain’t getting credit to begin with anyway so may as well keep that shit going forever. That’s why I plan on fighting forever.”
Diaz’s message is clear: he’s not done fighting, but he’s not going to waste his time on uninteresting matchups. He’s waiting for a fight that ignites his passion and reignites the buzz he believes the UFC currently lacks.
