Nate Diaz wants Tyson Fury to fight former UFC star instead of Francis Ngannou under his banner
UFC veteran Nate Diaz wants WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury to fight former UFC star Ben Rothwell instead of Francis Ngannou. Diaz posted a short-captioned tweet stating that Fury should fight Rothwell in the Stockton native's own promotion Real Fight Inc.
Last year, Tyson Fury called out Francis Ngannou (who was still the UFC heavyweight champion) for a boxing match with four-ounce gloves and Mike Tyson as the referee. The former UFC heavyweight champion wasn't free to fight outside his UFC contract back then but has since parted ways with the promotion to find better fights.
Now that Francis Ngannou is a free agent, a possible boxing bout with Fury is not out of the imagination. Another name thrown into the mix is that of former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
Check out the aforementioned tweet by Nate Diaz:
🏼 Ben rothwell vs Tyson fury 👊🏼
@RealFightINC
Nate Diaz, however, has other ideas. He wants WBC champion Fury to face former UFC heavyweight fighter Ben Rothwell in his own combat sports banner.
Prior to his last fight against Tony Ferguson at UFC 279, Nate Diaz announced his own combat sports venture called Real Fight Incorporated. The promotion will reportedly feature a host of different combat sports, including boxing, kickboxing, and MMA.
Check out Real Fight Incorporated's Instagram page below:
Nate Diaz: From TUF winner to star prizefighter
Oftentimes, when brothers compete side-by-side in the UFC, it's usually one brother that shines bright while the other remains in the shadow of the former. This isn't the case with the Diaz brothers. Nick Diaz forged his legacy long before Nate Diaz beat up names like Donald Cerrone and Gray Maynard.
The younger Diaz brother burst onto the scene in season five of The Ultimate Fighter. The Stockton native won the season and went on to embark on a shaky MMA journey in the UFC. He never fought for a title once but is still celebrated as one of the best fighters to have walked into the octagon.
Check out Nate Diaz's best moments:
His biggest gripe with the promotion was with the financial aspects of his contract and the fact that the promotion was pushing stars and not fighters. Notably, Diaz was not happy when CM Punk was signed to the UFC.
He turned his resentment into an opportunity by calling out Conor McGregor in a profanity-laden tirade after his win over Michael Johnson at UFC on FOX 17.
Check out Diaz's callout of Conor McGregor:
What followed were two blockbuster fights with 'The Notorious' and millions of dollars in the bank. Even better, Diaz became the first man to hand McGregor his promotional loss at UFC 196 by submitting him in the second round. Diaz was never in a boring PPV after his fights with the Irishman.