Nate Diaz has demanded he be released from the UFC after claiming the promotion has failed to find him an opponent.
Diaz has one fight left on his contract and had been expected to face Dustin Poirier in the coming months. But that fight has failed to materialise - and Diaz's demand would also put paid to hopes of completing his trilogy with Conor McGregor.
The rivals exchanged victories in 2016 and have since been expected to agree to a rubber match. But Diaz's future now looks unclear after he tweeted: "I would like to request to be released from the UFC. I apologise for asking online but you don’t give me a fight ASAP I got s*** to do." He later added: "Motherf****** be crying cause they get dropped from the UFC [and] I can’t pay out this b****".
The UFC is unlikely to grant Diaz his wish, however, with president Dana White insisting they will put a proposal to the welterweight. Diaz and Poirier verbally agreed to fight at the end of last year after the latter had lost his lightweight title challenge against Charles Oliveira.
But no deal was ever agreed despite both fighters appearing eager to return to the cage. White has repeatedly said he expects Diaz to fight McGregor again with the Irishman expected to return from his broken leg this summer.
"We're still working on [the Diaz-Poirier] fight" he said recently. "That fight's not done yet. I wouldn't count out a Conor-Nate 3. Listen, I'd be shocked if that fight didn't happen again."
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Diaz also has options in the boxing ring with YouTube star Jake Paul keen to purse a fight. The 25-year-old plans to return for his sixth professional fight in August having already dispatched former UFC stars Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley.
And he claims to have held talks with MMA promoters Bellator and PFL over making his debut in the cage - although the UFC is unlikely to release Diaz so that he can join a rival company. After knocking out Woodley in their rematch last December, Paul said: "Look at the year I just had, unprecedented. One of the most valuable fighters in the sport; four fights, four massive pay-per-views in 13 months.
"I've knocked out every single person that I've fought and hey [Jorge] Masvidal and Nate Diaz, y'all are some b****es for leaving this arena. Because I know you don't want that s***, I'll take out both of y'all next. Just get out of your contract with daddy Dana, and I'm going to f*** them up too! I want anyone, anytime, any place - it's every f***ing day bro!"
