Many Opportunities for Diaz
There are not many MMA fighters who continue to make headlines even when they’re not fighting. Nate Diaz is one of them as he recently resurfaced in non-MMA news. It’s been a few months since he defeated Tony Ferguson to conclude his contract with the UFC. And as of now, he is a hot free agent in the combat sports market. Everyone wonders what’s next for him. The UFC betting lines have a few ideas in mind.
Congrats @NateDiaz209 👏🏾 Stockton is proud to award you with a 🔑 to our city! pic.twitter.com/rSf9AbPqh3
— Mayor Kevin J Lincoln (@kevinjlincoln) December 4, 2022
Let’s check the latest UFC picks, stats, and UFC predictions. We’ve plenty of UFC expert picks for you to consider.
Exhibition Boxing Bout Against a Legend
It’s a long shot but one that can happen: Nate Diaz boxes Floyd Mayweather Jr. (+1400) or Manny Pacquiao (+1400) in an exhibition bout. Both Mayweather and Pacquiao have been getting involved in these types of bouts lately, against non-boxers like YouTubers and martial artists. So why not Diaz?
Scoop on Free Play from the Locker Room
A Match in WWE/AEW
It won’t be surprising to see Diaz linked with pro wrestling either, namely All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The promotion has brought in several former UFC stars like Junior dos Santos and Paige VanZant. It’s possible that Diaz, along with his Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu teammates, makes an appearance and even competes. It’s listed at +600 on the online sportsbook so it’s not that far-fetched of an idea.
Slinging it at the BKFC
Why not the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships? Speaking of former UFC fighters, many have found a second career fighting in the BKFC. Fighters like Thiago Alves and Mike Perry have become stars in this promotion. In fact, about with Perry (+500) could be the blockbuster event that BKFC needs to break into the mainstream.
Perry recently upset Bellator’s Michael “Venom” Page (MVP). He also previously called out Diaz when he was still in the UFC. The welterweight has the resume and is enough of a “gangster” to entice Diaz so it could just happen.
A ‘Real’ Boxing Match Against You Know Who
We already wrote about a potential boxing match between Diaz and Jake Paul. In fact, it’s the most likely bout for Diaz and is at +150 when betting online. Paul recently beat UFC legend Anderson Silva and then promptly called out the likes of Diaz. The two also got involved in a backstage skirmish.
Since then, Paul has been linked with other high-profile fighters like Andrew Tate. It’s anyone’s guess who actually signs on to box with Paul, whose resume keeps growing with each bout. Diaz could certainly take it, as it is another payday for him. But Paul is significantly larger than Diaz and it’s arguably Diaz’s most dangerous fight on this list.
Returning to UFC for ‘Money Fights’
Diaz could simply go “psych!” and tell Dana White he’s coming back for a new deal. There are still a few “money fights” left for Diaz, such as the trilogy with Conor McGregor (+350) or a fight with Dustin Poirier (+800). Diaz is coming off a win so it’s also not outside the realm of possibility for him to challenge Leon Edwards, the new UFC welterweight champion.
Of these fights, the McGregor trilogy makes the most sense. The two have combined to make plenty of money with their last two fights selling nearly three million pay-per-view buys. UFC 202, their rematch, was the most-bought UFC PPV before UFC 229. This could also be Diaz’s “most winnable” fight, though, in his mind, every fight is winnable.
Bringing the Stockton Slap to the Power Slap League
This is no joke: We will see a slap-fighting league in America. Dana White’s Power Slap League got licensed and can begin operation sometime in 2023. What better way to give this new promotion a push than to sign Diaz, the UFC’s most infamous slapper?
