5 interesting opponents for Nate Diaz in his next UFC fight

Nate Diaz only has one fight left on his UFC contract. He appears to be actively looking for his next opponent and, at the time of writing, there has been little mention of renewing his contract.

While there is still a chance Diaz will re-sign with the UFC, there are certainly other options for him, most notably a rumored boxing match with Jake Paul.

Diaz, historically, has had somewhat of a rocky relationship with Dana White and the UFC brass. It certainly seems within the realms of possibility that he would choose to take the big pay day away from the octagon that the Paul fight presents.

The UFC, are obviously aware of the status of Diaz's contract. Given that it appears he is at least considering taking his talents elsewhere, the UFC will likely want to use his final fight to help elevate the popularity of a rising star.

This certainly seems to be the path we are traveling along, with Dana White vocally suggesting Khamzat Chimaev as a potential opponent. Chimaev has looked terrifying since his UFC debut and appears to be a tough out for anyone.

Ideally, Diaz and the UFC will be able to agree to an opponent who is at a more similar place in his career and therefore give the fans a more entertaining fight. Here are five potential options that would provide a better send-off for Nate Diaz:

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#5. Nate Diaz vs. Vicente Luque

Luque holds a record of 21-7-1

Luque shares a number of characteristics with Chimaev that may end up making him an attractive option for the UFC. He is an incredibly talented contender who likely is not currently a big enough name to sell a ton of pay-per-views.

Pitting him against Diaz would raise the profile of Luque immensely. The UFC will be able to create a new star in him to make up for the potential loss of a star in Diaz.

On top of this, both men have been vocal about wanting this fight.

With both men keen and the fight seeming to make sense for all parties, should the UFC agree, we could see Diaz vs. Luque conclude Nate Diaz's UFC career.

#4. Nate Diaz vs. Dustin Poirier

Poirier's record is 28-6 (1NC)

Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier have established themselves as two of UFC's biggest stars and are known for being Conor McGregor's two fiercest rivals.

However, Poirier is far from an up-and-comer and may well be the UFC lightweight champion after he faces Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 on December 11th. While the UFC won't be building a star with this match-up, they could certainly cash in with this one.

Poirier's recent win over Conor McGregor has seen his popularity grow even further, to the point where he is now one of the biggest stars in the UFC. Pitting him against Nate Diaz would guarantee a very lucrative event.

Both the UFC and Diaz could reap the rewards of putting together one last big Nate Diaz fight before going their separate ways. Both men have also been vocal about wanting this fight in the past.

However, should Poirier win lightweight gold, that would probably put an end to this potential fight. Diaz has not fought at lightweight for some time, meaning we only stand a chance of seeing this one in the event of a Poirier loss in December.

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#3. Nate Diaz vs. Tony Ferguson

Ferguson's record is 25-6

Tony Ferguson may be the opponent who is at the most similar stage of his career compared to Nate Diaz. Both men are UFC veterans who have lost to some of the elite fighters in their respective divisions in recent times.

Nate has indicated via social media that he would be interested in the bout. There would certainly be a compelling dynamic given Diaz's affiliation with Stockton and Northern California and Ferguson's association with Southern California.

The only holdup with this one is whether the UFC would go for it. This fight does not help elevate a rising star and the match-up likely would not bring in the same money as Poirier or other names on the list. Especially given the fact that Ferguson is coming off of three straight lopsided fights.

However for a purist fight fan, there may not be a better option out there.

#2. Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal II

Masvidal holds a record of 35-15

Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal have plenty of history as few will forget their first bout for the one-of-a-kind 'BMF' title. On that occasion, Diaz lost to Masvidal via doctor's stoppage before Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson placed the belt around 'Gamebred's waist.

While history may only remember that image, at the time there were many who felt the stoppage was premature and there was much talk of a potential rematch. Perhaps it will soon be time to finally revisit this old rivalry.

Obviously there is again the likelihood that the UFC will not want to risk Diaz picking up the win and riding off into the sunset. But if they do choose to go the route of another big payday, there may only be one bigger match-up.

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#1. Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor III

McGregor's record now stands at 22-6

Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor may be the most iconic rivalry in UFC history. McGregor is the company's biggest star and Diaz was the perfect foil for him. The series is tied at 1-1, could we finally see the completion of the trilogy?

There simply isn't a bigger fight the UFC could put together and now could be a great time to set up this bout. Both men are on two-fight losing streaks and could really use a big-time win to start trending in the right direction again.

While Dana White will likely not want to run the risk of Diaz becoming an even bigger star and walking away from the UFC, it would be disastrous if we never got the final chapter of this enthralling rivalry.

Poll : Which rematch do you most want to see Nate Diaz in?

Jorge Masvidal II

Conor McGregor III

75 votes

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