5 best Nate Diaz moments in the UFC

Nate Diaz is among the biggest superstars to ever grace the UFC octagon. The Stockton legend's rise to fame and prominence came despite his inconsistent performances inside the octagon, as fight fans everywhere gravitated towards Diaz's authenticity and unapologetic demeanor.

Alongside his older brother, Nate Diaz enjoys a cult following across all of MMA. The sway that the former lightweight contender continues to hold over the sport's spectators is such that the UFC willingly obliged his desire to defend his status as the celebratory "baddest motherf*cker" (BMF) champion by creating a silver-plated championship belt in honor of the symbolic title.

While Diaz lost the bout to Jorge Masvidal for the championship, his star power remains permanent. Thus, this list goes over five of Nate Diaz's greatest moments in the UFC.

#5. Nate Diaz finished Gray Maynard in round one

Like his brother, Nate Diaz is also known for his volume rather than his punching power. The former lightweight contender is often described as being pillow-fisted due to the low number of knockouts on his record. In 20 of his wins, Diaz has only managed to knockout five of his opponents, with most of his victories coming via submission or decision.

Nate Diaz vs Gray Maynard https://t.co/6avNQCkVvp

Thus, his rematch against Gray Maynard in The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale ranks as a performance for the ages, least of all because their initial matchup ended in a razor-thin split-decision win for Diaz. Furthermore, at the time, Maynard was an extremely successful fighter with only two losses on his record. So when Nate Diaz dealt him a brutal beating in the first round itself, fans were left speechless.

After repeatedly battering Maynard with over 20 unanswered blows to the head, Diaz was eventually pulled away by the referee. Seconds later, a wobbled and beaten Maynard stumbled, collapsing to his knees in defeat to a fighter many dismissed as pillow-fisted.