UFC veteran Nate Diaz admits that money isn’t the reason for his ongoing quarrels with the promotion regarding his next fight.
Diaz hasn’t fought since a loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 263. Edwards will now challenge UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman for the title at UFC 278 later this year.
Diaz has been at odds with the UFC regarding the final fight on his deal. He’s repeatedly called for the promotion to allow him to fight as soon as possible, but he’s gone a full year without a scheduled bout.
Despite the long break away from the Octagon, Diaz admitted that the UFC has offered lucrative deals to return to the cage.
Nate Diaz Confirms He Wants Out Of The UFC
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Diaz expressed frustration with his current relationship with the UFC brass.
“They don’t want me out of contract, and they’re keeping me in, and they’re holding me hostage,” Diaz said. “And I want out. That’s my main objective here. And it’s been a big objective of mine since before I fought [Benson] Henderson (in 2012).”
Diaz has one more fight on his current UFC deal and seems intent on moving on. He was then asked by Helwani if the promotion has offered him a new contract to keep him on the roster.
“So for the last five, six, seven months, however long, when I’m asking for a fight, they offer me more money, they offer me more money, and they offer me more money,” Diaz claimed. “And I’m at a point in my career and my life where I don’t want any more money. I just want to depart.
“I’m over the whole UFC roster as of right now. All the guys that they can offer or that I’m even asking for, everybody’s been used and abused. It’s a recycled division. Lightweight, welterweight division, all recycled guys. I feel like there’s no worthy opponent for me at the moment, so I want to step out for a while and recover from this whole shit. And when the time is right, when there’s a whole new batch of guys doing something good, that’s when I’ll be back.”
Nate Diaz Shares Massive Pay Offers From The UFC Amidst Hiatus
Despite not being a UFC titleholder, Diaz said the promotion has offered him deals to make him the highest-paid fighter on the roster.
“The money that they’re offering me right now, that they’ve been offering, they offered me, five offers ago, more money than any fighter in the UFC, ever,” Diaz said. “And before the offer, I was getting paid more than any other titleholder, anybody. Anyone. Maybe not Conor, but that’s a different story…but I’m like, ‘I don’t want no more money. I want to go and do different stuff.’”
Diaz didn’t clarify and reveal exact details regarding the recent offers he’s received from the UFC.
Diaz has alluded to interest in competing in other facets of combat sports, including in jiu-jitsu tournaments and a potential boxing match against Jake Paul. His current deal prohibits him from exploring those options.
Money isn’t important to Diaz at this point in his career. He wants the freedom to do what he wants and not feel trapped under the UFC’s hold.
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