Getty Nate Diaz
Mixed martial arts superstar Nate Diaz said he’s leaving the UFC and a boxing match with Jake Paul is “for sure one of the options” for a bout outside the promotion.
Although the combat sports world has speculated that Diaz would pursue a fight with “The Problem Child,” the beloved athlete has stayed virtually quiet on the subject. However, when Diaz recently spoke with “iD Boxing” he shared his interest in boxing Paul.
Paul (5-0) is scheduled to compete against former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva on October 23. The eight-round 187-pound professional boxing match will take place in Phoenix, Arizona.
Diaz told the outlet that with the matchup, Paul is doing “big things” and that he’s “looking forward” to the clash. And after it’s all said and done, The Problem Child will apparently enter the Diaz sweepstakes.
“(Jake Paul) is for sure one of the options,” Diaz said (h/t MMA Junkie). “He’s doing big stuff. He’s doing big things. He’s got a big fight ahead of him. If he wins that, I’m sure people will be really impressed by it. And if Anderson (Silva) does his thing on him, that’s impressive also. Now we’ve got a fight on his hands. I’m looking forward to it.”
Diaz was then asked for his prediction for the fight. “Fifty-fifty,” Diaz said. “I don’t know. We’ll see what happens.”
Diaz Said He Has Been Boxing for 20 Years, ‘Going to Take’ a Boxing Match at the ‘Right’ Moment
The 37-year-old fighter said during the interview that he has been lacing up boxing gloves for 20 years. His original plan was to become a boxer, but with mixed martial arts having more available opportunities, Diaz focused on that sport instead, which led him to getting “stuck.”
Diaz said when the “right” opportunity arises, he’ll enter a boxing ring.
“From 17 or 18 years old, I was starting to fight, I was boxing with my boxing coach,” Diaz said. “There were boxers all over my gym, and I was going to box initially, but MMA shows were more around my area, and they were happening, so I got stuck in MMA. I got stuck in a cage this whole time with contracts and stuff. Now everything is open for the taking. I never stopped training for a boxing fight since I started fighting. When the right opponent or right thing comes, we’re going to take it.”
Diaz Said He’ll Leave the UFC to ‘Take Over Another Profession,’ Wants to Return to UFC Later a Win a Championship
Diaz competed at UFC 279 on September 10 against Tony Ferguson and he won the fight via fourth-round guillotine choke. The match was the last on his contract.
And when he spoke with UFC color commentator Joe Rogan inside the Octagon, he revealed that he didn’t plan on re-signing with the organization.
Instead, Diaz said he wanted to move into another combat sport and “take over.” But, he left the door open to a future return, stating his desire to earn a UFC championship.
“At the end of the day, I love the UFC,” Diaz said. “Shout out to Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta and Hunter Campbell for giving the opportunities, the platform the whole time.”
“Right now, I feel like I’ve had the longest career in the UFC and I’ve had the most successful one,” Diaz continued. “I outdid everybody on pay. I outdid everybody on surviving. And I want to get out of the UFC for a minute and show all these UFC fighters how to take over and own up another sport. How you’re supposed to do it ’cause Conor McGregor didn’t know how to do it. And none of these other fighters know how to do it. So, I’m going to go out there, I’m going to take over another profession and become the best at that.
“Show everybody I’m the best at that and then I’ma be right the f*** back here to get a motherf****** UFC title. The best title in the world.”