Nate Diaz visited the MMA Hour on Wednesday for a very special episode that featured only the younger and now much more famous Diaz brother. Nate has done some promotional rounds since he defeated Conor McGregor on short notice at UFC 196, but he has yet to speak out on his (so far) failed negotiations to book the rematch. He’s also played nice on more mainstream sports show appearances. This delves into more esoteric MMA territory that should make long-time fans of the scrappy fighter pleased enough to yell, “I’m not surprised motherf*cker” in the streets. The quotes below are just choice cuts. Watching the entire interview is absolutely worth it.
Nate started by talking down to both Conor and Floyd Mayweather for their seemingly ridiculous attempts at making a fight happen, to the UFC’s perceived favoritism of Conor.
“I’m the only 1 out of the 3 of us that can say I’ll whip Floyd and Conor’s asses in one night,” he said, via MMA Fighting on Twitter. “I’ll call your bluff. Fight Mayweather, motherf*cker.”
Diaz then shifted gears to a subject near and dear to his heart — money. Nate has been chasing a big payday for years, especially as someone who has been hovering around the top of the lightweight division for a nearly a decade. While his recent meeting with Dana White to hash out the details of a McGregor rematch didn’t “go well,” it’s probably because of his newfound ability to stand his ground. Nate finally has an advantage as a draw, and not just a guy who brings it on Saturday night.
I think that’s what fighters don’t realize, that this is a business, and if they don’t start treating it as such, no one is going to get nowhere. If you guys keep saying ‘I’ll fight anybody,’ of course you will. That’s why you started, right? That’s why I started. Like, I’ll fight any-motherf*cking-body. I’m in this sh*t to be the best, mother*cker. If you’re not in it to be the best mother*cker, I don’t even know what the f*ck you’re doing it for. If I don’t think I could beat everybody, what the hell am I fighting for? I think I’ll beat everybody still, in every weight class too. I’m not talking about three five-minute rounds. I’m talking about to the realness. I’ll beat everybody. I’ll find a way.
The rant continued…
Treat yourself like a business and quit f*cking (saying) ‘I’ll fight for free. That don’t help nobody. That’s bad karma for you for even f*cking (saying that). Stupid ass Cowboy Cerrone says that sh*t. That’s bad karma for everybody. You’ll fight for free, now everybody else has got to? Why wouldn’t they pay us? Because they got dumbsh*ts like you fighting for free. Start acting like a businessman and start treating yourself like a business and get your ass paid for being in an Octagon. The whole world watches you fight.
And seemingly without even trying, Nate comes up with another Full Diaz quote:
Entertainers are there in the front row. I’m sitting there with Lil Jon and f*cking Mike Tyson and who else? Everybody. Anyone you could think of that’s famous is sitting front row. Baseball players. These guys are getting paid millions of dollars, and we’re entertaining the entertainers. So doesn’t that make us the crème de la crème? Shouldn’t we be paid the f*ck out? Why are you fighting for free, you dumbsh*t motherf*cker. That sh*t gets on my last nerve.
“Even my last fight, they’re like, ‘finally you’re getting paid, congratulations.’ No, that’s reimbursement, is what that is. I haven’t even been paid yet, and I’m going to continue to represent for my sh*t and say what’s what and get what’s mine, because no one wants to see no other fight.”
What’s interesting about the UFC 196 fallout is the power of Diaz’s words. He now has negotiating power, and even though he’s thinking about himself, he’s speaking for the majority of MMA fighters. The 209 has grown up.
(Via MMA Fighting)