Why Nate Diaz’s cardio isn’t as great as it’s made out to be
Nate Diaz is one of the biggest stars in MMA history. A large chunk of his fame can be credited to his rivalry with former UFC double champion Conor McGregor. The two men had a pair of bouts that greatly elevated Nate Diaz's profile among the casual fanbase, who might not have known about him prior.
In the aftermath of their first fight, 'The Notorious' highlighted his foe's strengths, claiming that he was nearly impossible to knock out and tireless. Now, there's no denying that Nate Diaz has tremendous cardio. He is an experienced endurance athlete, who participates in triathlons in his spare time.
But how good is his cardio? Does it deserve to be mentioned in the halls of cardio greats alongside the likes of Max Holloway and Colby Covington, or is his cardio only exceptional in the mortal sense? There is good reason for it to be regarded as the latter.
How Nate Diaz's iron chin factors into the illusion of his cardio
Perhaps Nate Diaz's greatest physical attribute is his iron chin. He is so difficult to knock unconscious that there's a prevailing myth that he has never been finished, despite being floored by a Josh Thomson head kick back in 2013. The truth of the matter is that the 'BMF' claimant's toughness plays a part in his cardio.
Fighters who are difficult to either hit clean or knock out have a tendency to disrupt their foe's game simply by virtue of these attributes. They encourage head-hunting. By causing their foe to hyper-fixate on knocking them out, they also cause them to exhaust themselves by convincing their opponent to throw more power shots.
This is what happened in Nate Diaz's win over Conor McGregor at UFC 196. The Irishman wasted a significant amount of energy trying to score a first-round finish, but only succeeded in exhausting himself. So by comparison, Diaz's cardio looked far better.
This is often the case with many of his foes, especially because the 'BMF' claimant is easily bloodied and cut, which further encourages his opponent to try and finish him. Unfortunately, by emptying out their gas tank prematurely, they only make Diaz look better by comparison.
Nate Diaz being a five-round specialist is a myth
The notion that Nate Diaz is a five-round fighter has been around ever since he first rose to the annals of superstardom, after defeating Conor McGregor. This is even something that the Stockton native claimed during his UFC 241 post-fight interview to explain why he was tired slightly in a third-rounder with Anthony Pettis.
His reasoning was that he usually prepares for five-round fights, so preparing for a three-rounder disrupted his rhythm. This, however, is false. Nevertheless, Nate Diaz fans ran with it, claiming that he is a specialist in five-round affairs. However, a closer look at his record reveals a sobering truth.
The younger Diaz brother is a veteran of 34 fights. Of those 34 bouts, he has only ever been to five rounds three times, and he lost all three of those fights. His first five-rounder was a UFC lightweight title fight with Benson Henderson, which he lost via unanimous decision.
His second five-rounder was against Conor McGregor in the pair's rematch at UFC 202, which he lost via majority decision. Finally, his last five-rounder was against current UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, which he also lost. The same has been true for Diaz in other combat sports.
Nate Diaz recently made his professional boxing debut against Jake Paul in a 10-round fight that saw the Stockton legend lose another unanimous decision. So the idea that Diaz is a cardio machine whose gas tank and volume allow him to ultimately take over fights and outlast his opponents isn't entirely true.
Every fight he has had that has gone to five rounds or more ended with his defeat.
Nate Diaz takes breaks during fights to preserve his cardio
The antics and theatrics of the Diaz brothers are well-known. Nick Diaz's only highlights against Anderson Silva during the pair's controversial bout consisted of him taunting 'The Spider' and even laying on the mat as he coaxed him towards him. Nate Diaz is no different.
The 'BMF' claimant frequently points, laughs, flips off, slaps, and walks away from his opponents at random intervals during fights. He'll even occasionally hunch forward with his hands on his knees in what looks like an inexplicable moment. But what Diaz is actually doing is taking a break.
These theatrics and antics succeed in disrupting his foe's rhythm and breaking their composure while allowing Diaz to take a breather mid-fight under the guise of taunting his opponent, much to the delight of his fans. But the truth is that he only does so because Diaz does tire during his bouts.
He simply picks and chooses certain moments to recover, which is why his movement and punches can look labored at times. He has a good gas tank, but it is not the kind of cardio that allows him to throw an endless wave of volume or outwork his opponents in the way that Max Holloway and Colby Covington do.