UFC superstar Nate Diaz “tried to jump” boxer and MMA combatant Anthony Taylor, the fighter told Heavy’s Stephen McCaugherty in a recent interview.
The alleged incident happened after Bellator 238 in January 2020 when “Pretty Boy” defeated Diaz’s teammate Chris Avila via majority decision.
Taylor is preparing to fight Avila again, however this time it’ll be in a boxing ring. They’re competing during the Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley 2 undercard, which airs via Showtime PPV on December 18, 2021. Speaking with us ahead of the rematch, Taylor talked about the post-fight incident with Diaz and Avila. Listen to what Taylor had to say below via the YouTube video:
Taylor said that his beef with Avila, and ultimately Diaz, started on the night of Bellator 228 in September 2019, when future Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee knocked out Georgi Karakhanyan.
“I saw Nate Diaz and Chris Avila,” Pretty Boy said. “I walked up to Nate. This is before Nate [fought] Jorge Masvidal. So, I walked up like ‘Hey, good luck in your fight.’ I walk up to Chris, tried to shake his hand, just be polite because he’s with Nate. ‘Hey, how’s it going? I’m Anthony.’ He just looked at me mad dog, didn’t say a word, just mad dog.
“Then I said alright we’re gonna fight. So they ended up setting that fight up. I beat him. Him and Nate didn’t like the fact that I beat him and they tried to jump me in the back of the event in Bellator. So they try, him and his whole little Skrap Pack team tried to jump me, and the beef has just been really on. Like, he’s been very disrespectful towards me and my team. He’s called my coaches and teammates vulgar names. He just thought he was really tough because he’s with Nate and his boys.
“So when I see him, it’s on. When I see Nate, it’s going down. Like, there’s gonna be a big scene with me and Nate.”
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Taylor Said Diaz Threw a Water Bottle at Him, 4 Guys ‘Ran Up’ to Pretty Boy Before Bellator Staff Stepped In
GettyAnthony Taylor prior to his fight Tommy Fury in their Cruiserweight bout during a Showtime pay-per-view event at Rocket Morgage Fieldhouse on August 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Taylor, who notably boxed Tommy Fury in August 2021 during the Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley Showtime Boxing PPV, continued, saying that Avila was calling Pretty Boy’s coach “vulgar names” during their fight.
“I beat him, we got to the back room where you do your medicals, I’m showboating, ‘Haha whipped your a**,” Taylor said. “‘I’m the champ. I’m on a five-fight win streak. I won.’ So, him, Nate, they got upset. Nate threw a water bottle at me, not surprised. And four of the five guys ran up towards me. Luckily, the Bellator staff was there, I was with one of my teammates.
“From there, they stopped the brawl from happening. Ever since that day, I just had a hate towards him and Nate. I do not like Nate.”
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Taylor Rips Avila for Being ‘That Drummer Boy,’ Plans to ‘Physically Hurt’ Him
Taylor then directed his attention to Avila, the man he’s boxing next month.
“Chris Avila is just that drummer boy,” Taylor said. “He’s one of those tough guys, those want to be tough guys, where the boss is like, ‘I’m going to beat him up,’ and you got that little guy in the background, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah.’ Like he says he’s gonna beat him up. That’s Chris Avila.”
Taylor said that he and Avila don’t like each other, and he plans to “physically hurt this man” on December 18, 2021.
“And I told him if I see you and Nate, it’s going to be on before the press conference,” Pretty Boy said.
Taylor Is Done With MMA, Wants to Be a Pro Wrestler. Interested in Boxing Jake Shields or Gilbert Melendez
During the interview, Taylor revealed that he’s done competing in MMA. He’s fought his last few matches as a boxer, and he doesn’t ever plan on heading back into an MMA cage.
Instead, he has dreams of becoming a professional wrestler, something he’ll be pursuing in 2022.
Pretty Boy said he may have a couple more boxing bouts, and then he’ll be finished with boxing as well. And for a future opponent, he mentioned UFC veterans Jake Shields and Gilbert Melendez. Both Shields and Melendez are part of Diaz’s famous “Skrap Pack.”
Taylor admitted that he likely doesn’t have enough drawing power to land a fight with Diaz, so taking on Diaz’s good friends would be the next best thing for Pretty Boy. You can watch Taylor’s entire interview with Heavy’s McCaugherty below:
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Fighter Says Nate Diaz ‘Tried to Jump’ Him After Fight