Nate getting up, face completely covered in bl00d, flexing his arms could be one of the most iconic moments in the sport of UFC: Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor 1 | FREE FIGHT | UFC 279
Nate Diaz surprised the world in 2016, even if he himself wasn’t.
The UFC veteran submitted Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 196, after replacing Rafael dos Anjos and taking the fight on short notice. The submission victory, which few expected given the circumstances, sent Diaz (20-13 MMA, 18-12 UFC) to stardom and gave McGregor his first defeat in the UFC.
The two ended up doing an immediate rematch that same year at UFC 202 where McGregor was able to even out the score with a majority decision win.
You can re-watch the first McGregor-Diaz bout in the video above.
Diaz returns to the octagon on Sept. 10 in the main event of UFC 279. He takes on unbeaten welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev. The bout marks the final fight on Diaz’s current contract with the UFC. He plans to test free agency.
Diaz, who hasn’t won a fight since 2019, last competed in June 2021 when he lost a unanimous decision to Leon Edwards. The defeat was his third in three fights.
Meanwhile, Chimaev (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) enters UFC 279 on the heels of one of the best fights in 2022. He last competed at UFC 273 in April, outpointing former title challenger Gilbert Burns in a Fight of the Night war.
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