Nate Diaz Says He Won’t Be Manipulated Into Fighting

Nate Diaz hasn’t been seen in the Octagon since a decision loss to UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor at UFC 202.

Despite the long absence from the Octagon, one thing that won’t speed things up would be for people to manipulate Diaz into fighting again.

“The fighters are like, ‘He’s not a fighter.’ Sounds like you’re being manipulated into trying to manipulate me into getting into a fight,” Diaz said on Outside The Box. “Guess what: You work for somebody. I work for me. Who’s the fighter now, (expletive)? So that’s the name of the game right now.”

Diaz has been called out by a plethora of fighters since his last bout, with the most vocal of them being UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Tony Ferguson, UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley and UFC President Dana White.

One path that may get the Stockton native back into the Octagon would be if a fighter challenging him would simply ask nicely for a bout.

“We put in our work,” Diaz said. “And I’ll put in more work. But ask nicely, (expletive). Ask nicely.”

It would seem like the UFC is getting desperate in wanting to get Diaz back in the Octagon because the fighter has claimed in the past that the promotion has offered him a shot at every champion in every weight class.