Coach: It will take ‘millions and millions’ of dollars to get Nate Diaz back in UFC

After a disappointing outing against Jake Paul last year, Nate Diaz redeemed himself last weekend with an impressive win over Jorge Masvidal (watch highlights). The two UFC legends boxed it out over 10 rounds and threw nearly 1,400 punches during that time. Two judges thought Diaz’s punches and ring control were slightly more effective, earning him the majority decision.

And with that win, Diaz is back in a position to make a ton of money in his free agent era.

Unfortunately, two of the guys he’s voiced an interest in fighting are under UFC contract. The Stockton fighter has unfinished business with Conor McGregor and 170-pound champion, Leon Edwards. In a new interview with Submission Radio, Diaz’s coach, Cesar Gracie, discussed those possibilities.

“I think a trilogy probably makes a lot of sense for both of those guys,” Gracie said of Diaz vs. McGregor 3. “You know Chandler and McGregor is a good fight, too. But, I mean, just the history of Nate and McGregor, I think it’d be the bigger fan fight if they had a trilogy. And in my opinion, that’s what I’m thinking.

“Nate doesn’t look like he’s really lost any steps lately,” Gracie added. “With McGregor, he’s been out of it for awhile and he hasn’t had a win in a long time. I would have to favor Nate on that one. His toughness, and he’s been in the game. And you know, it’s not good when guys come out and stay out that long from the game. It’s hard for them. And I think whether McGregor fights Chandler or someone else, I think he’s going to have a lot of trouble getting back to his peak performance.”

As for Edwards, Gracie believes Diaz already showed the world he has the tools to beat “Rocky.”

“Edwards is at the top of his game for sure,” he said. “And the thing with Nate is he just always has the tools to beat you. Edwards landed some absolutely devastating shots in their fight. I saw kicks, I saw punches, and he won some of the rounds.

“But, if we’re going to be perfectly honest, if there was another round left, I think all the fans realized that Edwards was about to get knocked out in that fight,” Gracie finished.

He then suggested the only way to win a fight against Diaz was to avoid fighting him and to eke out a decision.

“If you want to point fight him, yeah, you could maybe beat him,” Gracie said. “But, if you really go to knock him out, that’s when you can get in trouble. So, it depends on what it was we would see that night.”

It’s all a bit academic at this point with Diaz outside of UFC. If the promotion wants him back, they’re going to have to back up a few trucks full of money to get him. And there’s no more denying his ability to move the needle after 18,040 people turned up for the Masvidal fight in Anaheim.

“Millions and millions of dollars, whatever they’re paying their highest people,” Gracie said. “Nate is such an icon of the sport. He’s fought and deserves the things he’s gotten. He had to get everything the hard way. He brings star power with him. The event last night was sold out. It was. And it was on Nate Diaz over there.

“No one would have gone to that show without Nate Diaz,” Gracie concluded. “It was so huge.”

BMF belt redemption next, perhaps?

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