Getty Nate Diaz returns to action on June 12.
UFC welterweight star Nate Diaz was called out on Saturday night by Vicente Luque after the UFC’s 11th ranked 170-pound contender blasted out his opponent Randy Brown with a vicious knee strike during the closing seconds of the second round of their fight in Las Vegas.
After his big highlight-reel knockout win, Luque told the media he wanted to fight Diaz next.
“I would call out the guy right under me, that is Nate Diaz,” Luque said. “He only wants superfights but if we’re going to follow the rankings, I’m above him. I think that would be a great fight.”
Diaz is currently ranked No. 10 in the UFC’s official welterweight rankings.
“I got a lot of respect for that guy and I would love to fight him,” Luque said. “Our styles? It’d be a banger of a fight.”
You can watch Luque call out Diaz below.
While he has “a lot of respect” for Nate Diaz, @VicenteLuqueMMA wants the smoke with Stockton’s own 💨 #UFCVegas5
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Watch Vicente Luque’s Vicious Knockout
Luque’s stunning knockout of Brown was a huge part of Saturday night’s massive slate of UFC action.
While fighters were dropping off the card left and right due to all sorts of crazy circumstances, Luque’s massive knockout helped make the latest UFC card another huge success.
Luque landed a vicious knee to his opponent Brown during the second round and finished him off just a few seconds later after the fighter slumped over from the blow.
Notably, Luque “brilliantly” (as ESPN’s MMA account labeled it) lifted Brown’s hands away from the mat so that the shot would be legal when it landed. Had Luque not been able to make that happen, Brown would have been a “downed fighter” under MMA rules and Luque could have been disqualified by landing that same knee.
Instead, Luque scored the stoppage and got to call out Diaz after the fight.
You can watch Lucque’s vicious knockout via knee strike below.
By brilliantly lifting Brown’s hands away from the mat, @VicenteLuqueMMA landed a legal knee that ended the fight 🧠 #UFCVegas5
Nate Diaz Hasn’t Fought Since UFC 244
Diaz hasn’t fought since losing via stoppage to Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244 in November 2019.
Masvidal opened up huge gash around the welterweight’s eye which forced the ringside doctor to halt the action.
That stunning win made Masvidal the UFC’s first and only “BMF” champion and helped him become one of the most popular fighters in the world.
Diaz was already one of the most popular fighters in the world, but he hasn’t seriously been tied to any other names since the loss to Masvidal.
While there was a time the 35-year-old was considered one of the frontrunners to land next crack at Conor McGregor, the future of the fan-favorite isn’t known now that the Irishman is retired and likely headed into a boxing ring soon to face Manny Pacquiao.
So Diaz would need a viable dance partner if he wants to continue fighting.
Sure, every now and then someone, like Luque or rising star Khamzat Chimaev, says something about him on social media but that’s about as far as things have gone as of late.
Honestly, the same will likely hold true for Luque’s attempt to lure Diaz back inside the Octagon.
Still, at least the hard-hitting Muay Thai specialist who scored that huge knockout over Brown on Saturday night in Las Vegas did his best after the win to get the fight he wants.
Diaz vs. Luque isn’t all that likely to happen, but it’d sure be a fun fight to watch.
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