Nate Diaz’s biggest UFC wins: A quick recap
Nate Diaz is undoubtedly one of the biggest superstars ever to grace the UFC octagon, and this article takes a closer look at the Stockton native’s biggest career wins.
Nate Diaz’s Biggest Wins
Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor 1 – UFC 196 – 05/03/2016: There is no doubt that the fierce rivalry between Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor was one for the UFC’s history books, and their first fight ended with the biggest win of Diaz’s 15-year-long career in the UFC.
The then-unbeaten McGregor started the fight strong and seemed to bank on his knockout power to fold Diaz. While McGregor managed to bust Diaz’s right eye, the Irishman couldn’t finish the Stockton native. Unsurprisingly, McGregor seemed gassed heading into the second round.
As Diaz’s confidence grew, he stunned McGregor with hard-hitting punches that forced the former two-division champion to shoot for a takedown. The grappling savant lost no time sweeping McGregor, mounting him, and sinking a choke in as soon as the Irishman gave his back. Diaz submitted McGregor at 4:12 mins of the second round in one of the wildest upsets in UFC history.
Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone – UFC 141 – 30/12/2011: Nate Diaz faced a red-hot Donald Cerrone, who was on a four-fight unbeaten streak in the UFC, in his second fight after returning to lightweight, after beating Takanori Gomi at UFC 135.
In classic Nate Diaz fashion, he got under Cerrone’s skin before the fight, which caused ‘Cowboy’ to become easy prey for the Stockton slugger. Cerrone started the fight too aggressively and got punished by Diaz’s quicker, more volume-based counter boxing.
Diaz dismantled Cerrone in the first round with a series of brutal combinations that left ‘Cowboy’ gasping for air with a broken jaw. While the lionhearted Donald Cerrone survived all three rounds, the fight belonged to Diaz from the start. Nate Diaz defeated Donald Cerrone via unanimous decision.
Nate Diaz vs. Kurt Pellegrino – UFC Fight Night 13 – 02/04/2008: Nate Diaz faced Kurt Pellegrino in his third UFC fight while the jury was still out on whether he was an elite-level fighter. A superior wrestler and an accomplished jiu-jitsu black belt, Pellegrino was Diaz’s toughest test at that point.
In the first round, Kurt Pellegrino brutally hurt Nate Diaz with his ground-based striking and nullified any grappling threat that Diaz posed. In the second round, Diaz tried to impose his striking on Pellegrino but saw himself getting picked up and slammed down onto the mat. However, as soon as Nate Diaz hit the floor, the Stockton native locked his opponent in a triangle choke and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
Nate Diaz defeated Kurt Pellegrino via second-round submission while throwing up his famous double middle-fingers at the cameras.
Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson – UFC 279 – 10/09/2022: This list would be incomplete without mentioning Nate Diaz’s last outing in the UFC against fellow veteran Tony Ferguson.
While Diaz was initially booked to face Khamzat Chimaev in his last contractual fight in the UFC, the Chechen-born Swede failed to make weight and was replaced by Ferguson. Fans lauded the new matchup, considering how unfavorable Chimaev would’ve been as an opponent for Diaz.
The fight between the two fan-favorite fighters was quite evenly contested. Diaz displayed his incredible boxing skills as Ferguson’s relentless kicks caused significant damage to Diaz. In the fourth round, Nate Diaz managed to capitalize on a mistimed takedown attempt and secured a guillotine choke to submit Tony Ferguson to end his last UFC fight.
Conclusion
Nate Diaz’s 15-year career in the UFC solidified his status as an all-time great in MMA’s history books. With his signature fighting style, relentless pressure, and remarkable ability to withstand punishment, Diaz carved a niche for himself as one of the most beloved fighters in the UFC.
