Dana White reveals he is working on Nate Diaz's return to the octagon

Dana White makes headway with Nate Diaz’s return to the octagon as he reveals a ‘great fight’ at lightweight is in the works… but UFC supremo rules out Tony Ferguson as next opponent

  • Dana White has revealed that he’s working on Nate Diaz’s return to the UFC
  • The American hasn’t fought since his defeat to Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244
  • Having not fought since November 2019, White is now setting up Diaz’s return
  • The UFC president revealed the 35-year-old’s next fight would be at lightweight 
  • However, he was quick to rule out Tony Ferguson as Diaz’s next opponent 

UFC president Dana White has revealed that he is currently working on Nate Diaz’s return to the octagon and insists fans are ‘going to like’ what he has lined up – but has told fans that Tony Ferguson will not be his next opponent.

The 35-year-old had a quiet 2020, going the whole year without a fight. The Stockton native has not competed since losing to Jorge Masvidal in their mammoth BMF clash at Madison Square Garden in November 2019. 

Diaz has been unusually quiet about his future in recent months but a comeback is now being arranged by UFC supremo White.

UFC president Dana White has revealed that he’s working on Nate Diaz’s return to the octagon

‘We’re working on a Nate Diaz fight right now, and it’s not Tony,’ White told TheMacLife. ‘But if we get it done, I think you’re gonna like it.’

He continued, ‘It would put him in a really good position if he won the fight, and the guy who he could potentially be fighting, I think it’s a great fight for him, too.’

Ferguson endured a disastrous 2020 after losing back-to-back fights against Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira to lose his spot in the title picture. While a fight against Diaz would be enticing from a fan perspective, White is focusing on someone else.

There had been speculation that Diaz would return to face Masvidal in a highly-anticipated rematch. 

The first bout was stopped by doctors owing to a nasty cut obtained by Diaz, with fans adamant that the Stockton Slugger would have clawed his way back into the contest. 

However, White was quick to rule out Tony Ferguson (pictured) as Diaz’s next opponent

Diaz (right) has not fought since losing to Jorge Masvidal (left) in New York in November 2019

However, the UFC appear to have moved away from that fight, while White defused any talk of a trilogy bout against Conor McGregor, who takes on Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 on Fight Island.

‘Probably not,’ the UFC supremo said last week when asked about McGregor v Diaz III.  

White also poured cold water on a proposed UFC return for Nick Diaz, elder brother of Nate. 

The 37-year-old has been preparing himself for a comeback having released footage of himself training.

However, White does not believe the elder Diaz is ready for a return to the sport. 

White also poured cold water on the possibility of a trilogy bout against Conor McGregor

‘Everything that I see from Nick Diaz doesn’t look like Nick Diaz wants to or is ready to compete in this sport,’ White said in an interview with ‘The Schmo’.

‘Nick Diaz has been in a lot of wars. He’s accomplished a lot of great things in his career. He’s made a lot of money.

‘He’s obviously super-famous. He’s gotten everything you could hope to get out of fighting. I just don’t know why, when I see his Instagram, why he would want to come back.’




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