Nate Diaz has claimed he has asked the UFC for fights with Vicente Luque, Khamzat Chimaev, Dustin Poirier and Tony Ferguson.
Diaz has not fought since defeat to Leon Edwards last year and has one final fight before his contract expires with the promotion. A huge list of opponents have been linked with Diaz in his final outing including a trilogy with former two-time rival Conor McGregor.
The American star has been involved in a war of words with the UFC over his contract row and has made multiple public demands to be released from his contract. However Diaz has since claimed he is willing to fight out in a final venture this summer so he can pursue alternative opportunities. “They haven’t offered me anybody," Diaz revealed on the MMA Hour when asked about a potential opponent for his final fight.
"I’ve been asking for fights since whenever, I asked for a lot of fights. I asked for [Vicente] Luque, I asked for Tony Ferguson, I asked for like four or five people. It was never good on their side. They finally offered me Khamzat [Chimaev], I gave a little ‘what the f***?’, but then I thought why not? Let’s get it done with.
"I asked for the Khamzat fight. Then, all sorts of excuses started happening. I wanted January, I wanted March, I wanted all these things… I’m trying to get this show on the road, but they’re keeping me in my contract and they’re holding me hostage. I want out, that’s my main objective is.”
Diaz also verbally agreed to face Dustin Poirier on social media last year but after asking the UFC to hold official talks, the fight went cold with no official offer materialising. The American was understood to also be keen on taking on Luque with talks held late last year, but again no fight came to fruition.
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More recently, leaked matchmaking from the UFC's 'war-room' showed Diaz would take on rising star Chimaev this summer in a headline bout. However despite the pair promptly trading verbal barbs shortly after, it became clear that a fight would unlikely take place between the pair.
Ferguson is also viewed as a realistic option for Diaz having also been on a similar losing streak which culminated in another brutal KO loss to Michael Chandler recently. However the Stockton Native is eager to find any way of finishing his career in the promotion to accept a potential boxing fight with Jake Paul.
Diaz has now admitted that he holds significant interest in fighting the YouTube star before challenging more boxing talent. "I'm interested in anything," Diaz continued. "I'm interested in activity and if I get out and he is the first guy to step up then I am fighting him. Anyone who wants to fight I am going to fight, anyone who is talking some s*** like Jake Paul. He is f****** doing his thing."
