UFC CEO Dana White is oftentimes an open book when it comes to contract signings and discussions about bringing in fighters. Over the weekend, White remained that way when the name Nate Diaz came up.
During the post-fight press conference for last Saturday’s UFC event in London, White was asked about Diaz signing with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and returning to MMA there instead of with him.
Diaz will square off with Mike Perry on the Netflix-streamed card on May 16. The event is featured by Ronda Rousey, a former UFC champion, making her long-awaited return to the cage to take on Gina Carano.
“He came in and met with me a couple weeks ago,” White said (thanks to MMA Fighting for the quotes). “We had a good time. I think Nate just got an offer he couldn’t refuse. I haven’t talked to him since then. But I’m happy for him.”
Could Nate Diaz still return to the UFC?
Prior to Diaz making the decision to join Paul and MVP, he was mentioned as a possible opponent for Conor McGregor. The two had one of the more memorable rivalries – both inside and outside the Octagon – in the UFC, squaring off multiple times against one another.
When further asked about Diaz and that possible fight in the future, White simply said, “I don’t know.”
“Let him do his thing,” White added. “We’ll see how the fight plays out. We’ll see what happens.”
Nate Diaz is fighting MMA for first time since 2022
The last time the soon-to-be 41-year-old Diaz competed inside a cage was four years ago when he defeated Tony Ferguson at UFC 279. Overall, he is 21-13, including a 2016 submission win over McGregor.
Diaz has also competed in boxing since that Ferguson victory, losing to Paul in 2023 and defeating Jorge Masvidal in 2024.
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