Fighter Profile: Nate Diaz

Overall Record: 11-3

UFC Record: 6-1

Hometown: Stockton, CA

Height: 6’0” Weight: 155

Age: 24

Nate Diaz is a twenty-four year-old mixed martial artist from California who currently fights with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the lightweight (155lb) division. Diaz currently fights and trains out of the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Pleasant Hill, California, where he earned a brown belt under legendary fighter/trainer – Cesar Gracie. Diaz is the younger brother of current Strikeforce star Nick Diaz and training partners with Strikeforce kingpins Gilbert Melendez and Jake Shields.

Diaz began his MMA career nearly five years ago in October 2004 competing at the WEC 12 event against Alex Garcia. Diaz demonstrated his grappling and finishing skills by submitting Garcia with a triangle choke to notch his first career win. He would perform three more times over the next two years for the WEC, concluding with a loss to Hermes Franca for the WEC lightweight title in October 2006 at WEC 24.

Other than the World Extreme Cagefighting organization, Diaz also appeared in Japan for Pancrase and in the California-based Strikeforce and Warrior Cup promotions. He was dealt his first loss, while fighting for Pancrase, by Koji Oishi in August 2005 via unanimous decision. He recorded his first knockout in March ’06 for Strikeforce by punching out Tony Juares.

After compiling a 5-2 record, Diaz was confirmed as a participant on the fifth season of the successful “The Ultimate Fighter” developmental reality show. He demonstrated his ground prowess by running right through his fellow cast mates, submitting Rob Emerson, Corey Hill, and Gray Maynard to secure a position at the finale. At the “TUF 5 Finale,” many believed Diaz was getting the worst of a stand-up battle with Manny Gamburyan, but earned the six-figure contract when Gamburyan had to submit early in the 2nd round due to a dislocated shoulder.

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With some job security in place, Diaz began his journey to the top of the lightweight division. The UFC placed Diaz on four straight “UFC – Fight Night” cards, beginning with “Fight Night 11” in September 2007 against Junior Assuncao. At the end of the 1st round Diaz dropped Assuncao and choked him out with a guillotine choke. He would continue his submission assault with two triangle choke victories against Alvin Robinson (Fight Night 12) and then after demanding tougher competition, Kurt Pellegrino at “UFC Fight Night 13.”

Getting closer to being considered a top-five UFC lightweight, Diaz was matched up against Josh Neer. Coming into the “UFC Fight Night 15” bout both fighters were carrying win streaks, Neer was on the strength of a three-fight win streak and Diaz won four in a row. The two lightweights had a striking battle for three solid rounds, but after a late flurry of punches from Diaz, he topped Neer for the tight split decision win.

The victory over Neer gave Diaz five consecutive UFC wins but more importantly an invite to the “gate” of the top of the lightweight division in the form of Clay Guida. Very similar to his previous bout, Diaz traded strikes with his opponent for three demanding rounds, however this time Guida was the more aggressive of the two, handing Nate a loss. Diaz had suffered his first promotional loss almost two years after his rookie appearance.

The loss to Guida shouldn’t knock the Stockton, CA, resident too far down the lightweight ladder. In fact, with a win in his next bout, against Joe Stevenson at the “TUF 9 Finale” on June 20th, Diaz could possibly jump right back near the top of a stacked lightweight division. Something tells me that we haven’t seen or heard the last of the rising superstar.

Recent Nate Diaz MMA News:

• Lost to Gray Maynard at UFC Fight Night 20 on January 11, 2010 by Split Decision - UFC Fight Night 20 results

By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Staff Writer
Published June 2009