Getty Nate Diaz
Two legends collided during the UFC 279 main event when Nate Diaz battled Tony Ferguson on September 10th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
And Diaz earned his first stoppage victory since taking out Conor McGregor with a rear-naked choke at UFC 196 in March 2016.
After the two battled-tested veterans went back and forth for four rounds, “El Cucuy” shot for a takedown and Diaz snatched Ferguson’s neck, tapping out the fighter with a guillotine choke. Saturday night in Vegas marked Diaz’s final fight on his UFC contract, and during his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Diaz confirmed he’d leave the UFC to pursue competing in other martial arts.
Well, the fight community gave their two cents on what transpired during the night’s main event, including some of his rivals like Dustin Poirier. “The bum Olympics,” Poirier tweeted.
Conor McGregor’s training partner and BJJ black belt Dillon Danis tweeted: “this looks my two drunk uncles fighting at a bbq wtf.”
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou tweeted: “Nate Diaz is a FREE man! Congrats Nathan.”
Nate Diaz is a FREE man!
Congrats Nathan👏🏾
Reactions Poured in After Diaz Tapped Out Ferguson
“The MMA Hour” host Ariel Helwani: “NATHAN DIAZ SUBMITS TONY FERGUSON VIA 4TH ROUND GUILLOTINE. HE BET ON HIMSELF. AND HE WON. TWICE.”
NATHAN DIAZ SUBMITS TONY FERGUSON VIA 4TH ROUND GUILLOTINE.
HE BET ON HIMSELF. AND HE WON. TWICE.
“Diaz says he wants to go conquer another sport and will be back,” Helwani continued. “Great post-fight interview.”
Respected MMA bettor Luca Fury tweeted: “Tony Ferguson literally just sat there and let Nate Diaz guillotine him. Literally did not even try to defend it or fight the hands at all. Just sat there with his hands on the mat and waited a few second to tap out. That was absolutely bizarre.”
Tony Ferguson literally just sat there and let Nate Diaz guillotine him. Literally did not even try to defend it or fight the hands at all. Just sat there with his hands on the mat and waited a few second to tap out. That was absolutely bizarre. #UFC279
Sharing a screenshot, Fury continued: “4 seconds went by as Ferguson sat there completely motionless, not even attempting to resist the guillotine, before he finally lifted his arm off the mat to… tapout.” See the screenshot below:
YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul tweeted: “Nate Diaz is a muthuf***** legend and would have slapped the s*** out of Khamzat.”
Nate Diaz is a muthufuckin legend and would have slapped the shit out of Khamzat
More Gave Their Take on Diaz’s Octagon Victory
MMA History Today tweeted: “Nate Diaz just beat the system. He finishes his final opponent in the UFC and becomes a free agent with the ultimate start power.”
Nate Diaz just beat the system.
He finishes his final opponent in the UFC and becomes a free agent with the ultimate start power.
“Nate Diaz submits Tony Ferguson with a snappy guillotine!” CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri tweeted. “What a way to go out if this is it for Diaz in the UFC.”
“Nate Diaz announces he’s leaving UFC to show Conor McGregor how to take over another sport,” he continued. “Promises he’ll be back to win a UFC title. What a run it’s been.”
Former Bellator and ONE welterweight champion Ben Askren wrote: “Damn did Ferg want out? That guillotine happened quick, Tony didn’t try to fight hands.”
CBS Sports and “Morning Kombat” host Luke Thomas tweeted: “Nate Diaz went from staring down the barrel of a Khamzat Chimaev fight to submitting Tony Ferguson in the main event of his final UFC fight. The MMA Gods love Nate Diaz…tonight, at least.”
Nate Diaz went from staring down the barrel of a Khamzat Chimaev fight to submitting Tony Ferguson in the main event of his final UFC fight.
The MMA Gods love Nate Diaz…tonight, at least.
“Credit where it’s due: Joe Rogan didn’t shy away from any contract or boxing talk with Nate Diaz. That was good,” Thomas continued.