Getty Nate Diaz & Dana White
MMA superstar Nate Diaz recently said he and Dana White nearly fought at a nightclub in 2014, and the UFC president responded to Diaz’s claim.
Diaz made the remark during a sit-down interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto ahead of his presumed final appearance inside the Octagon. Diaz only has one fight left on his UFC deal and he’s expressed on several occasions that he wants to part ways with the promotion.
He’ll battle surging welterweight Khamzat Chimaev during the UFC 279 main event on September 10 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
And during his conversation with Okamoto, Diaz said he “almost beat up” White years back. Well, the UFC president was asked by The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis about Diaz’s comments and although he didn’t verify that the incident happened, White did say they were drinking that night in 2014.
“Allegedly. We were drinking,” White laughed.
Willis then asked if it was “that close” and still laughing, the UFC president responded: “Does anybody else have any other questions?”
Diaz Said the Altercation With White Happened During an Afterparty in 2014
While speaking with Okamoto, Diaz said White was “talking s***” during an afterparty after “The Ultimate Fighter” season 20 wrapped production. According to the Stockton, California fighter, White was drunk and the two got into it.
“I almost beat up Dana White in a club one time here too, you should’ve seen it,” Diaz laughed (h/t MMA Fighting). “He was talking s***. … You should ask him. He was talking s*** and I was arguing with him. I was mad at him — I shouldn’t have been mad at him, I understand.
“It was a long time ago, when Gilbert [Melendez] did The Ultimate Fighter [20]. … Everybody had gotten off the show and then we went to the club when Dana and them were having a big afterparty, and then Dana’s all [intoxicated]. He’s all, ‘What’s up, motherf*****?’
“I was like, what’s up? And he’s telling me about, ‘What do you want?’ I was like, ‘What the f*** do you think I want? More money and more f****** better fights than everyone here.’ It’s because I was never on the destination [path] for a title though, at the time.”
It appears clear that Diaz and White hold no negativity toward each other for the alleged incident. In fact, both men have been complimentary of the other during the UFC 279 fight week, with White calling Diaz a “legend” and Diaz saying he’s on “Dana White’s side.”
Diaz Isn’t Sure What the Future Holds for Him Post-UFC 279
During the ESPN interview, Diaz said that he still hasn’t made a plan for what he’ll do when his contract expires. He’s in the process of launching his own fight promotion, Real Fight Inc., but he told Okamoto that even if he leaves the UFC, he’s still “going to be in the UFC.”
“Regardless of what happens though, say I leave or do whatever, the best fighters are in the UFC, and have been for a long time, and will be for a long time I’m sure,” Diaz said via Low Kick MMA. “That doesn’t mean the realest s*** is happening in the UFC but no matter what I do, I’m going to be in the UFC.”