Nate Diaz: Back In Contention
Diaz looks to become a top-tier UFC Lightweight as he faces Gray Maynard at UFC Fight Night 20
Coming into The Ultimate Fighter Season 5, Nate Diaz was known for mainly one thing – being Nick Diaz’s younger brother. Although the Stockton resident had notched victories in the WEC, Strikeforce and Warrior Cup promotions, he was a relative unknown.
Three-and-a-half years later and with the help of the UFC marketing machine, Nate Diaz is arguably as big of a star as his fast-talking older brother.
It’s not like Diaz has had everything fed to him with a silver spoon; in fact, it wasn’t that way at all. After compiling a respectable 5-2 record, he worked from Team Pulver to submit four opponents on his path to the TUF 5 title and UFC contract. One of those TUF 5 wins came at the expense of his UFC Fight Night 20 counterpart – Gray Maynard. At the time, Maynard was vastly under skilled and Diaz used his jiu-jitsu wizardry to submit Maynard in their semifinal match.
Diaz continued his progression after TUF 5, submitting his next three opponents and then grinding out a hard-fought split decision victory against Josh Neer that brought his organizational record to a perfect 5-0. After his UFC Fight Night 15 decision victory over Neer, Diaz begged UFC executives for better quality opponents. The UFC obliged, however the plan didn’t work out for Diaz, who ended up dropping back-to-back bouts for the first time in his career. Clay Guida turned the tables to outwork Diaz for a tight split decision win at UFC 94 and then Joe Stevenson dominated Diaz at the TUF 9 Finale to earn a unanimous decision victory and handed Diaz his second UFC defeat.
Once knocking on the door for a #1 contender’s bout, at UFC Fight Night 19 he was fighting for respectability and to try and stay relevant in the 155-pound division. He headlined the Fight Night 19 card against a returning Melvin Guillard and delivered with a clutch performance. After a back-and-forth 1 st round, Diaz was able to get Guillard to the floor and pull off a slick guillotine choke during the 2nd round.
Now trying to make it two wins in a row and get his name back in the discussion as a top UFC lightweight, a victory against Gray Maynard would do just that. One given about a Nate Diaz fight is you’re sure to see an exciting battle. Over his last five matches, win or lose, he has picked up three “Fight of the Night” bonuses along with two “Submission of the Night” awards.
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Although his previous unofficial win over “The Bully” was needed to advance in the TUF 5 tournament, a victory over Maynard would mean much more to Diaz this time around. Maynard is right now a potential #1 contender for the 155-pound belt, so needless to say a victory over the former Michigan State wrestler would catapult his name above his worthy opponent.
As valuable as a Fight Night 20 main event victory would be, a loss in the headlining role would be equally as devastating. Earlier in the year, Diaz was defeated in back-to-back bouts before getting back to his winning ways in the fall. However, a loss would not only cost him a possible top-3 UFC lightweight position, but would also label him as a “choker” in meaningful matches.
With all that being said, Nate Diaz would be a solid UFC lightweight with a bright upside whatever the result, but the question still remains as to where Diaz belongs inside the division. It is time for this veteran of eight octagon brawls to step out of the middle pack of lightweights and into the limelight. If he gets back to working his brilliant ground game – he will have a great chance at doing that.
> Also check out our feature on Gray Maynard: Not Far To Go exclusively at ProFighting-fans.com!
By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Senior MMA Staff Writer