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Fan favorite Nate Diaz ended up on the wrong side of the decision in his UFC 263 bout against Leon Edwards, but he proved why he's one of the most entertaining fighters in the world during the five-round barn-burner.
Although Edwards chopped away at his lead leg and established several dominant positions, Nate Diaz came into his own in the later rounds. With the clock winding down in the fifth, he landed a flush left that had 'Rocky' in all sorts of trouble. Curiously, Diaz didn't show the urgency he needed to close the show, but he gave fans at the Gila River Arena in Arizona what they wanted to see.
After the fight, Diaz claimed he wants his next bout to happen in around four months. Here are five possible opponents for Nate Diaz after his decision loss at UFC 263.
#5 Vicente Luque
Currently ranked No. 5 in the UFC's welterweight division, Vicente Luque isn't booked for a fight. And with Nate Diaz signaling his intention to return to the octagon soon, 'The Silent Assassin' could prove to be a viable opponent.
Luque is a top-draw fighter. His only two losses over the last four years have come to Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson and Leon Edwards, with wins over Belal Muhammad, Tyron Woodley and Mike Perry. An exciting fighter who can challenge Diaz in all departments, the Brazilian could welcome the possibility of a fight against one of the UFC's most entertaining stars.
However, Luque, who is on a three-fight winning streak, might be searching for a ranked opponent as he attempts to enter the welterweight title conversation.
#4 Jorge Masvidal - faced Nate Diaz at UFC 244
After his showing against Leon Edwards, could Nate Diaz take part in a BMF rematch against former welterweight title challenger Jorge Masvidal? It doesn't seem to be outside the realm of possibility.
Masvidal has suffered consecutive losses to Kamaru Usman and hasn't shown much interest in fights against the top UFC welterweight contenders. The anticlimactic way in which the BMF bout ended even prompted 'Gamebred' to claim that he and Diaz will run it back, hinting at unfinished business.
At the end of the day, Nate Diaz is an entertainer. And fights don't get any more entertaining than Diaz vs Masvidal.
#3 Conor McGregor
Speaking of entertainment, Conor McGregor faces off against Dustin Poirier in a massive trilogy fight at UFC 264 in July. Should he win, the Irishman will probably earn a shot at Charles Oliveira's lightweight title.
But if McGregor loses, his future at lightweight will be in the air. He would have only one win in the division, over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, and won't have much left to fight for at 155 lbs. In that case, booking McGregor vs Diaz 3 would become a formality.
In fact, even if 'The Notorious' beats Poirier, he might want to settle the scores in another trilogy before moving on to challenge the UFC lightweight champion. This fight is always available to make and it seems inevitable that we will see it happen.
#2 Michael Chiesa
Another UFC welterweight who's on an impressive win streak, Michael Chiesa has dispatched Carlos Condit, Diego Sanchez, Rafael dos Anjos and Neil Magny since losing to Anthony Pettis in 2018.
Could a fight against another promotional veteran in Nate Diaz excite Chiesa, who's currently ranked sixth in the welterweight division? Maybe. Diaz's flurry in the final round against Edwards may have been enough to earn him a fight against a quality opponent, even if it's not someone in the top five. And 'Maverick' fits the bill perfectly.
An exciting match-up on the ground will manifest itself if Michael Chiesa vs Nate Diaz is booked.
#1 Robbie Lawler
Bouts between two unranked fighters don't get any better than Robbie Lawler vs Nate Diaz.
'Ruthless' was ranked 15th in the welterweight division before recently dropping out. And although he has five losses in his last six fights, Lawler remains one of the most beloved fighters in the UFC right now thanks to his relentless brawling style.
Nate Diaz too is cut from a similar cloth, and a potential clash between him and Lawler would be incredibly easy to market. Both fighters are nearing the end of their UFC careers, and fans would love to see them clash in what is bound to be a violent display of no-holds-barred boxing.
