Rap legend Drake backs up Ariel Helwani's 'MMA superstar' assessment of Nate Diaz

Rap legend Drake seems totally in agreement with Ariel Helwani of ESPN regarding his assessment of Nate Diaz. In the latest episode of the DC and Helwani show, Ariel Helwani labeled the Stockton brawler as a superstar and Drake couldn't agree more.

Ariel Helwani uploaded a post on Instagram featuring a snippet of the conversation between him and Daniel Cormier, inciting a reply from Drake. Drake commented 'FACTS' referring to Helwani's assessment of Nate Diaz when he said:

"Forget stars, I think there are very few superstars in this game; he is a superstar. He is must-see TV no matter who he's fighting, no matter where on the card" Ariel Helwani said on Instagram.

Snippet of Ariel Helwani's post and Drake's comment [Image Courtesy: @arielhelwani on Instagram]

Nate Diaz is scheduled to make his much anticipated return to the octagon against Leon Edwards in a five-round welterweight clash at UFC 263.

🇬🇧 Leon Edwards vs Nate Diaz 🇺🇸

Who takes it at #UFC263?
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) June 9, 2021

When Drake compared himself to Nate Diaz

Apart from being a songwriter, singer, rapper and actor, Drake also happens to be a fan of MMA. Hence, he couldn't resist bringing in an MMA reference when involved in a feud with fellow rapper Pusha T. While the two launched a volley of diss tracks at each other, it was largely believed that Pusha T emerged victorious in that feud.

"Some of my favourite fighters in the world, take a guy like Nate Diaz, you look at his record, if might not look like the craziest record but he's still one of my favourite fighters, he's still a dog. That's just the sport of fighting." - Drake
(via @RapRadar) pic.twitter.com/3vTmuM0CAU
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) December 26, 2019

Drake subsequently accepted his loss and was found comparing the rap game to MMA in an interview with Rap Radar. Comparing himself to Nate Daiz, Drake said in an interview from 2019:

"Like I said: This is a sport at the end of the day. And you know from a very early point, I’ve never shied away from defending myself. And I’m also sometimes eager to engage if I feel that you want to be slick or be offensive behind the scenes. I might choose to address it in music. And, you know, that was how I ended myself up in the Pusha situation, which, you know...Some of my favorite fighters in the world, take a guy like Nate Diaz, you look at his record – It might not look like the craziest record. But, you know, he’s still one of my favorite fighters. He’s still a dog."