Watch: Nate Diaz and team go for a 'night run' ahead of UFC 263
Nate Diaz recently ventured out on a night run ahead of his comeback fight against Leon Edwards at UFC 263.
Diaz and his team went on a seemingly long run during nighttime in Arizona. The team accompanying 'The Stockton Slugger' exited their temporary residence in Arizona at midnight. For those wondering whether Nate's older brother was also a part of the run, Nick Diaz was not seen in the footage released by Nate Diaz on his YouTube channel.
Watch the video below:
Nate Diaz could be working towards getting his ever-last cardio to the level he needs to face one of the most elite welterweights on the UFC roster.
'The Stockton Slugger' and Leon Edwards successfully made weight ahead of their featured five-round bout set to precede the co-main event at UFC 263.
How does participating in triathlons help Nate Diaz?
Nate Diaz has been taking part in triathlons since he was an 18-year-old. The 'Stockton Slugger' recently appeared in an interview with Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole and revealed how being a triathlete made sense to him. Diaz noted that both triathletes and mixed martial artists need to focus on all aspects of the sport to be successful.
He said:
"What I like about it [triathlons] is that it's different....it's like mixed martial arts. You gotta prep for each one and be good at each individual sport. You can be the best swimmer and the biker but if you run like sh*t, everyone's gonna catch you in the end. Like that in mixed martial arts you gotta put in the right ingredients, the kickboxing, the boxing the wrestling. So you gotta have all your sh*t together, that's also another piece of the art. And racing...you know what I'm saying, you gotta cover all the things....And when you get everything about right, it gets my sh*t together."
In addition to promoting better all-round development, Nate Diaz's drive to compete in triathlons also gives his durability a significant boost. 'The Stockton Slugger' is notorious for his cardio and granite chin inside the octagon.
Diaz also likes to pressure his opponents relentlessly and seldom waits for them to take center stage. This aggression, however, also leads to 'The Stockton Slugger' getting hit several times. But Nate Diaz has unbelievable durability, allowing him to walk through his opponent's strikes.
Diaz is also susceptible to bleeding early, which can easily make it seem like he's on the receiving end of a beating. This was the case during his most recent fight against Jorge Masvidal. The cageside doctor stopped the bout after he deemed Diaz unfit to continue due to a cut over his eye.
When coming up against an elite striker like Leon Edwards, Nate Diaz will have to ensure not to get hit as much, or the same fate awaits.
Who are you picking for the winner of the five-round featured bout? Cast your predictions in the comments section!