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Nate Diaz closed out his UFC contract in vintage form, submitting Tony Ferguson with a guillotine choke in deep waters at UFC 279.
It was about the best possible ending for the Stockton, Calif., star, who was expected to be cannon fodder to Khamzat Chimaev before a huge weight miss sent chess pieces flying at the top of UFC 279’s card. Instead, he got former interim lightweight champ Tony Ferguson, and the two went at each other before things got weird in the third round.
Diaz, as usual, threw the crowd a few curveballs, having a running conversation with his cageside audience. Eventually, he got down to business and started turning up the tempo on Ferguson. As with many a Diaz opponents before him, Ferguson shot for a takedown in desperation and found his neck cinched in a guillotine from which he couldn’t escape.
And with that, Diaz started a new chapter in his completely unique combat sports career. Here’s what fighters had to say about the UFC 279 headliner between Nate Diaz and Tony Ferguson.
Nate Diaz is a FREE man!
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) September 11, 2022
Congrats Nathan
Breaking News:
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) September 11, 2022
Nate Diaz is officially out of his UFC contract.
The bum Olympics #UFC279
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) September 11, 2022
Nasty beautiful guillotine
— Terrance ‘T Wrecks’ McKinney (@twrecks155) September 11, 2022
Wow
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) September 11, 2022
Damn did Ferg want out? That guillotine happened quick, Tony didn’t try to fight hands
— Funky (@Benaskren) September 11, 2022
Keep Nate in the UFC
— Bryce Mitchell (@ThugnastyMMA) September 11, 2022
209 motherfuckers!!
— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) September 11, 2022
Nate Diaz with the win walking off into the sunset...
— Aleksandar Rakic (@rakic_ufc) September 11, 2022
What @ufc career.
Nate Diaz is a muthufuckin legend and would have slapped the shit out of Khamzat
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) September 11, 2022
I love the respect between these guys #ufc279
— Tatiana Suarez (@tatianaufc) September 11, 2022
What a way to go out if this is really it. Nate Diaz is a legend of the fight game! #UFC279
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) September 11, 2022
@NateDiaz209 is the man ! I’m smoking mad weed tonight
— Sergio Pettis (@sergiopettis) September 11, 2022
Nate had the best week of events , UFC contract ends as he wanted, stock rises . On to the next venture ! #UFC279
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) September 11, 2022
The MMA Gods have spoken @NateDiaz209 #UFC279 #209
— Frank Mir (@thefrankmir) September 11, 2022
All respect! #Legends #UFC279 Ossss pic.twitter.com/ZDB6d1K63i
— Charles 'DoBronxs' Oliveira (@CharlesDoBronxs) September 11, 2022
Nate is a g! Excited to see what’s next! #UFC279
— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) September 11, 2022
Joe Rogan got a little violated there
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) September 11, 2022
I was Triple ZERO when Nate Diaz made his UFC debut (June 2007). Didn't even win my gold medal yet. That's how long Nate Diaz has been a legend of the fight game! @NateDiaz209
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) September 11, 2022
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