Following his victorious bout against Tony Ferguson in September last year, former UFC standout Nate Diaz has officially declared his status as a free agent, having fulfilled the terms of his contract.
Diaz has now set his sights on a new arena, delving into the realm of boxing, where he aims to make his mark. A highly anticipated match has been scheduled for August 5, 2023, as Diaz is slated to go toe-to-toe with the prominent YouTuber turned-boxer Jake Paul.
The Stockton native and ‘The Problem Child’ are set to engage in a thrilling eight-round, 185-pound battle at the renowned American Airlines Arena in Dallas.
In a curious turn of events, UFC lightweight veteran Renato Moicano stumbled upon a video showcasing Nate Diaz’s boxing sparring session. However, Moicano’s reaction was far from impressive, as he expressed concern for the state of MMA, exclaiming:
“That’s not looking good!!! Mma is in danger.”
Unbeknownst to Moicano, the footage he encountered was actually from last year, prior to Diaz’s fight against Tony Ferguson. In an amusing twist, Moicano mistakenly believed that the sparring video was recent and intended for Nate Diaz’s upcoming bout against Jake Paul.
Moicano’s lackluster remarks stem from a valid observation regarding Jake Paul’s choice of opponents thus far. The UFC lightweight veteran highlights the fact that Paul’s previous boxing matches have predominantly featured retired MMA fighters, such as Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva.
Check out the social media post below:
Nate Diaz objects to being labeled as a ‘MMA fighter’
Nate Diaz revealed that his passion for boxing has been hindered in the past by contractual obligations with the UFC, which have restricted his ability to pursue opportunities in the realm of boxing. The Californian expressed his long-standing interest in the sport and emphasized that he has trained alongside some of the most elite boxers.
Speaking at the pre-fight press conference ahead of his highly anticipated bout against Jake Paul, Diaz made a noteworthy comment, highlighting the challenges he has faced and his determination to showcase his boxing skills:
“My plan in fighting is to always fight the biggest names, and the best fighters there are. I’ve been trying to get out of the UFC for a long time, because I knew what I was worth, what fighters are worth and what I should do.”
Diaz added:
“I would have been a pro boxer when I was 18 years old but a cage fight came up first so I was stuck in a cage my whole career,” he explained. There were times when I got locked in a contract right away from the UFC. So I was already locked down from the beginning.”
