Nate Diaz is officially a free agent. Diaz fought out his UFC contract in a winning effort against Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 on Sept. 10.
Diaz chose to complete his existing UFC contract instead of re-signing with the MMA promotion. Diaz was officially removed from the UFC roster on Tuesday, company officials confirmed to MMA Fighting. Zach Rosenfield, a representative for Diaz, also confirmed the news to the publication. The door appears to be wide open for Diaz to pursue a predicted boxing match against Jake Paul.
The Stockton native had publicly demanded his release multiple times, accusing the UFC of preventing him from fighting out his UFC contract. A main event booking against welterweight crusher Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 279 was viewed by many as a death sentence for Diaz on his way out of the company. In a shocking and poetic change of fortunes, Chimaev missed weight and the UFC was forced to shuffle the main card. Diaz was ultimately presented with a more favorable matchup against fellow legend Ferguson and emerged victorious. Diaz and UFC president Dana White left on amicable terms: Diaz promised to return to the UFC and White spoke glowingly about the fighter.
Diaz (21-13) fought exclusively under the UFC banner from 2007 to 2022. His 15-year run with the company started by winning "The Ultimate Fighter 5" lightweight tournament. Diaz challenged for the UFC lightweight title against Benson Henderson and the ceremonial BMF championship against Jorge Masvidal. Diaz entered the mainstream consciousness with a second-round submission win over Conor McGregor at UFC 196 in March 2016, kicking off one of the most memorable rivalries in combat sports history.
