Getty Nate Diaz (L) fights Leon Edwards during their UFC 263 welterweight match at Gila River Arena on June 12, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona.
The superstar from Stockton, California, returned to the UFC on Saturday night after over a year hiatus.
Nate Diaz took on No. 3-ranked welterweight Leon Edwards in a five-round featured bout during the main card of UFC 263 on June 12, 2021. Although Diaz rallied at the end of the fifth round and wobbled “Rocky,” Edwards was awarded the unanimous decision.
Speaking with the media during the post-fight press conference, Diaz was asked for his thoughts on the fight. Diaz said that he suffered a cut a month before his Saturday bout with Edwards, and because of that, he “kinda lost all motivation” to prepare for the fight.
“I got cut in training, that’s why we had to push the fight back,” Diaz said via Bloody Elbow. “And I kinda lost all motivation to train and work out hard and all that. So I kinda just lingered around for a month, getting ready for war like that.”
Diaz and Edwards were originally scheduled to compete in the co-main event of UFC 262 last month, however their fight was pushed to UFC 263 after Diaz sustained an undisclosed injury. It appears that the injury in question was the cut Diaz referenced during the post-fight presser.
Diaz was also asked for a timeline of when he hopes to get back inside Octagon. And the fighter revealed that he’d like to return soon.
“I want to fight in three or four months,” Diaz said. “I’m ready to hop back in there. If I was unscathed, I’ll be back next week. I was just unmotivated to train anymore ‘cause I already put in all the hard work for the last fight in Texas where it was supposed to be. And now I had to linger on for another f—ng month.”
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Diaz Isn’t Looking for a Specific Opponent, Will Take Fight If ‘It Makes Sense’
Diaz was then asked if there was a specific opponent he had in mind for his next contest.
“I don’t have nobody in mind,” Diaz answered. “I’m gonna go back home and look at what’s popping… who’s doing what. And whoever wants to fight, let it be known and if it makes sense then it’s [a] good idea for both parties then let’s dance.”
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UFC 263 Full Fight Card Results
Here are the UFC 263 fight card results below:
Main Card
Israel Adesanya def. Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
Brandon Moreno def. Deiveson Figueiredo via third-round submission (rear-naked choke)
Leon Edwards def. Nate Diaz via unanimous decision (49–46, 49–46, 49–46)
Belal Muhammad def. Demian Maia via unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)
Paul Craig def. Jamahal Hill via first-round TKO
Preliminary Card
Brad Riddell def. Drew Dober via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
Eryk Anders def. Darren Stewart via unanimous decision (29-27 x2, 29-28)
Lauren Murphy def. Joanne Calderwood via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
Movsar Evloev def. Hakeem Dawodu via unanimous decision (29–27, 29–27, 29–27)
Early Preliminary Card
Pannie Kianzad def. Alexis Davis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 29-28)
Terrance McKinney def. Matt Frevola via first-round KO
Steven Peterson def. Chase Hooper via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Fares Ziam def. Luigi Vendramini via majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)
Carlos Felipe def. Jake Collier via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
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