Nate Diaz walked out of his pre-fight launch press conference with Jake Paul in Texas this evening after insisting that he needed to use the bathroom.
The UFC legend went head-to-head with his YouTuber rival for the first time since the pair agreed to fight on August 5, but could only hold it in for so long before needing to exit the stage and relieve himself. Paul was left awkwardly on stage answering questions, before host Ariel Helwani insisted that his opponent would be back in time for a face-off.
Up to the moment that Diaz left the stage, it had been an awkward affair in which Paul admitted to trying to get inside his rival's head while the pair were in fact complimentary towards one another. And one particularly cringe-worthy moment saw Paul attempt to mock Diaz with a monkey toy.
While giving a speech about the 20,000+ pre-sale ticket signups the event had received, Paul noticed Diaz heading away, asking Helwani "is this man leaving?" Before being told that he would "be right back". When one reporter asked if he was the "toughest opponent" the social media star has faced, he responded "I think he's the dumbest opponent yet".
And after a lengthy period in which Paul vamped by taking further media questions, Diaz returned so that the pair could engage in a face-off, which was just as awkward as the rest of the event. Both men put their fists up while posing, leading to a brief spar that saw Paul slap his opponent's hands before they separated and turned away.
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Diaz had expressed his annoyance at the organisation of the press conference, insisting that they should have allowed members of the public into the event. The pair's head-to-head was done in front of media only, but it is expected that their fight week festivities will include an audience.
“I don’t know where all the f***ing people are at,” Diaz asked. “We wouldn’t have no normal people for the press conference? Whose idea was this? We should have had a hundred normal people in here. This is a sketch-a** press conference, f***ing rookie-a** press conference. Next time let the whole place be full. Next time, fill this mother***er.”
Paul then noted that Diaz was, in fact, a co-promoter of the show meaning that he was a key part in the decision-making for the pair not to invite a crowd to the event. “You know you’re the one putting on the event,” Paul laughed, before Diaz responded: “I do know,” Diaz defiantly responded. “I thought you would have had it together now, putting on big shows.”
