Nate Diaz responds to Dana White, refutes latest comments: ‘I’ve been offered zero fights’

Nate Diaz didn’t take very long to respond to UFC president Dana White.

Following Saturday’s UFC Long Island event, White spoke to reporters backstage and was asked about Diaz’s extensive interview on The MMA Hour earlier this week, in which the Stockton native gave his side of the story in regards to his negotiations with the promotion.

Diaz has been sidelined since his most recent appearance more than a year ago at UFC 263 and stated that he felt as if the UFC was “holding me hostage” with one fight remaining on his deal. Diaz added that the two fights that make the most sense for him are with current heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and middleweight champ Israel Adesanya.

“When isn’t Nate Diaz saying something crazy?” White said at the UFC Long Island post-fight press conference. “I’ve said this a million times and I’ll say it again — we can’t hold guys hostage. It’s not possible.

“I owe you three fights a year. If I don’t fight you three times a year, I have to pay you. How could I hold him hostage?”

Hours later, Diaz took to social media to respond to White.

“Dana said Francis Ngannou was injured and couldn’t fight right now,” Diaz stated. [I don’t know] why he was so confused in [the] interview. And in the last nine months [I’ve] been offered zero fights and I asked for five legitimate opponents.

“Thanks for the kind words. Can I go now?”

Ariel Helwani reported Saturday night that Diaz has yet to be formally offered a fight in 2022.

Diaz was defeated by Leon Edwards via unanimous decision in a five-round bout in June 2021, but the big talking point of the fight took place in the final round, where Diaz had the next welterweight title challenger badly hurt and nearly finished him before the final horn sounded.