5 interesting opponents for Nate Diaz in his next UFC fight
Nate Diaz only has one fight left on his UFC contract. He appears to be actively looking for his next opponent and, at the time of writing, there has been little mention of renewing his contract.
While there is still a chance Diaz will re-sign with the UFC, there are certainly other options for him, most notably a rumored boxing match with Jake Paul.
Diaz, historically, has had somewhat of a rocky relationship with Dana White and the UFC brass. It certainly seems within the realms of possibility that he would choose to take the big pay day away from the octagon that the Paul fight presents.
The UFC, are obviously aware of the status of Diaz's contract. Given that it appears he is at least considering taking his talents elsewhere, the UFC will likely want to use his final fight to help elevate the popularity of a rising star.
This certainly seems to be the path we are traveling along, with Dana White vocally suggesting Khamzat Chimaev as a potential opponent. Chimaev has looked terrifying since his UFC debut and appears to be a tough out for anyone.
Dana White wants to make Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz happen: ‘100 percent’ mmafighting.com/2021/11/2/2275… https://t.co/F0yyN77RAJ
Ideally, Diaz and the UFC will be able to agree to an opponent who is at a more similar place in his career and therefore give the fans a more entertaining fight. Here are five potential options that would provide a better send-off for Nate Diaz:
#5. Nate Diaz vs. Vicente Luque
Luque shares a number of characteristics with Chimaev that may end up making him an attractive option for the UFC. He is an incredibly talented contender who likely is not currently a big enough name to sell a ton of pay-per-views.
Pitting him against Diaz would raise the profile of Luque immensely. The UFC will be able to create a new star in him to make up for the potential loss of a star in Diaz.
On top of this, both men have been vocal about wanting this fight.
Vicente Luque vs. Nate Diaz is a foregone conclusion in the UFC contender’s mind (by @Shak_Fu) mmamania.com/2021/11/3/2276…
With both men keen and the fight seeming to make sense for all parties, should the UFC agree, we could see Diaz vs. Luque conclude Nate Diaz's UFC career.