Nick Diaz's 5 most memorable moments in the UFC
Nick Diaz is one of the most polarizing, yet popular, figures in UFC history. The Stockton native will make his long-awaited return this weekend to face Robbie Lawler at UFC 266.
Despite only having 14 UFC fights under his belt, Nick Diaz has still been part of some of the most memorable moments in the promotion’s history. Across two stints with the UFC, Nick Diaz has faced some of the greatest fighters of all time. While he didn’t always win, he’s never been truly dominated in the octagon.
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With his legendary abrasive personality meaning he’s never been far from controversy, Diaz remains one of the most talked about personalities in MMA.
So with that in mind, here are Nick Diaz’s five most memorable moments in the UFC.
#5. Nick Diaz vs. Diego Sanchez – UFC Ultimate Fighter II Finale
After debuting in the UFC in late 2003, Nick Diaz quickly established himself as one of the welterweight division’s top up and comers. Alongside other young guns like Georges St-Pierre and Karo Parisyan, Diaz looked set to usher in a new era at 170 pounds.
However, 2005 saw the advent of The Ultimate Fighter reality show, a series which made instant stars of newer fighters like Diego Sanchez and Josh Koscheck. Those new fighters immediately gained prominent spots on the UFC’s roster, which didn’t sit well with Nick Diaz at all.
Diaz began calling out Sanchez in particular, claiming that he was a fraud who hadn’t earned his spot with the UFC. And so the promotion, never looking to miss out on an instant feud, decided to book the two rivals against each other in the main event of the TUF 2 Finale.
Unsurprisingly, fireworks ensued even before the two men had a chance to step into the octagon. According to Sanchez, he received a number of abusive emails from Nick Diaz in the weeks building to the fight, something that Diaz has denied in recent years.
And more infamously, according to reports at the time, Diaz even hurled a shoe at ‘The Nightmare’ in the locker room during the event.
In the end, the two rivals put on not only one of the best fights of 2005, but one of the best grappling-based fights in UFC history, period. And although Sanchez came out on top, largely on the strength of his takedowns, Diaz busted his enemy open and had plenty of high points in the fight too.
. @DiegoSanchezUFC shows his amazing will and grappling skill once again. People forget about his amazing wins against Nick Diaz & Karo.
Overall, the fight was the perfect representation of Diaz’s early UFC career. He may not have won, but he put on such a show that he came away looking like an even bigger star than before.