Overview

• Diaz said on an August 20 livestream with creator Sneako that he declined a proposed bout with Nurmagomedov because he did not want to boost a newcomer after his recent title run.
• Dana White tweeted in January 2014 that Diaz had turned down the fight, which Diaz publicly denied at the time before offering this new rationale.
• Reports place the proposed matchup around early 2014 following Diaz’s November 2013 win over Gray Maynard, when Nurmagomedov had only a few UFC appearances.
• The long-running friction between the camps included a 2015 altercation in Las Vegas and a separate clash at UFC 239 in 2019, yet the fighters never met in the Octagon.
• Talk of a Diaz UFC return remains unconfirmed, with Chael Sonnen saying a comeback is more possible than some expect.