MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has hinted that Nate Diaz will leave the UFC after managing to book the last fight on his contract.
Diaz, 37, has been demanding the UFC finds him a fight so he can leave the promotion since the beginning of this year. The fan favourite was linked to a fight against Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler over the past seven months, but none of the rumoured bouts ever came to fruition. Leaked matchups also showed he was being targeted to fight Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 276.
He recently hinted his return on the UFC 277 card later this month, tweeting: "July 30, would be a nice to departure date." The pay-per-view event scheduled for that night is headlined by a women's bantamweight title rematch between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena, but the main card is already finalised meaning Diaz will unlikely compete at the event.
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Sonnen has now claimed Diaz's UFC exit is imminent after he recently accepted a fight. "There was a rumour that popped up that it was going to be Chimaev vs Diaz. I got a little inside scoop for you guys, which is Diaz has accepted a fight. Diaz has a fight coming up," he said.
“I gotta stop right there. I don’t know who the opponent is and I’m not holding that from you and we know Chimaev and Nate have been associated together for a period of time now. I’m not announcing for you guys that it’s Diaz vs. Chimaev. I’m sharing some insight, Diaz has a fight. That I’m sharing with you guys. Is it Chimaev?”
Diaz has previously been linked to a boxing fight against Jake Paul and the YouTube star even offered to serve as Diaz's final UFC opponent. Paul doubled down on his previous challenge to UFC boss Dana White in order to make the fight, demanding the conditions of fighters contracts are improved before he steps foot in the promotion.
“I’ll be Nate Diaz’s last fight in the UFC," he told ESPN. "I’ll throw on the MMA gloves and fight him for free as long as Dana White increases the minimum fighter pay to $50,000 and gives them healthcare benefits. I think the Nate Diaz fight should happen, and if it doesn't happen with that offer, it'll probably happen one day in a boxing ring. It makes a ton of sense, the UFC has been dead this whole year."
