UFC ‘keeping me hostage, and I want out’

Nate Diaz can’t be any extra clear about the truth that he isn’t joyful together with his present state of affairs and needs out of the UFC.

For many of the previous yr, the mercurial MMA star has been itching to struggle the final bout on his UFC contract, however he’s been unable to get booked. Diaz (20-13 MMA, 15-11 UFC), one of many sport’s hottest fighters, repeatedly has aired his frustration over social media, imploring the UFC to get him a struggle and, at instances, requesting his release.

Diaz is bored with coping with his UFC contract state of affairs and needs to complete his ultimate struggle and be out of the corporate altogether.

“I used to be attempting to get the present on the street, and so they don’t need me out of the contract, and so they’re maintaining me in, and so they’re holding me hostage, and I would like out,” Diaz said Tuesday on “The MMA Hour.” “That’s my fundamental goal right here, and it’s been an goal of mine since, I don’t know, what yr it was? However the yr I fought Ben Henderson (2012).”

Diaz hasn’t competed since UFC 263 in June 2021 when he misplaced a unanimous choice high welterweight contender Leon Edwards. It’s been greater than a yr since he final set foot within the octagon, and he’s been attempting to return since simply a few months after the Edwards struggle so he can transfer on.

“They haven’t provided me anyone,” Diaz mentioned. “I’ve been asking for fights since each time. I requested for lots of fights. I requested for (Vicente) Luque, Tony Ferguson. I requested for like 4 or 5 individuals, and there was no going there, after which they lastly provided me the Khamzat (Chimaev) struggle, and I gave them the little, ‘What the f*ck.’

“After which I used to be like, ‘Why not? Let’s simply get it achieved with and get it over with.’ I requested for the Khamzat struggle after which all types of excuses began taking place. However keep in mind I used to be like I would like December, I would like January, I would like March, I would like all this stuff.”

Diaz, 37, is fed up with the UFC. He mentioned the promotion has provided him more cash to signal a brand new deal, however he made it clear that he believes he’d make extra preventing exterior of the UFC.

It’s been a protracted journey for Diaz and the UFC as he made his promotional debut method again in June 2007 and previous to that fought for Zuffa-owned WEC. However it’s clear from his message that the connection has soured to the purpose he merely needs out.

“After I’m asking for a struggle, they provide me more cash,” Diaz mentioned. “Then they provide me more cash, more cash. I’m at a degree in my profession and my life the place I don’t need any more cash. I simply wish to depart. I’m over the entire UFC roster as of proper now. All the fellows that they’ll supply or I’m even asking for, everybody’s been used and abused. It’s a recycled division. Light-weight or welterweight division, I really feel like there’s no one worthy. There’s no worthy opponents in the meanwhile.”

He later requested, “UFC, can I please have my final struggle and be on my method?”