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UFC 241 marked the return of Stockton striker Nate Diaz, as he made his return to the Octagon against former UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis in a Welterweight bout.
Diaz's layoff-Pettis' Welterweight Return
Diaz last competed in the Octagon almost three years ago at UFC 202 when he squared off against Conor McGregor in a grueling rematch and eventually went on a hiatus after suffering a loss to The Notorious One.
After a two-year layoff, Diaz's return was confirmed for UFC 230 against Dustin Poirier, however, that fight was eventually scrapped after the latter pulled out from the event.
Meanwhile, Anthony Pettis has settled in quite well in the UFC Welterweight Division after returning to the weight class for the first time since 2008. In his first fight back in Welterweight, Pettis defeated Stephen Thompson via second-round knockout.
UFC 241- The return of Nate Diaz
In the co-main event of UFC 241, the returning Nate Diaz secured a very important win over the ever-versatile Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis after the three men went the absolute distance in a back-and-forth fight.
Despite being on a hiatus from MMA for almost three years, Diaz certainly didn't look out of touch upon his Octagon return as he dominated the fight right from the get-go. Known for his striking abilities and his ground game, as well, Diaz clearly dominated the fight on the ground.
Even on foot, Diaz was the better man as he continued the dominance over Pettis, who also had a few solid strikes in store for the Stockton slugger. Eventually it was Nate Diaz who won the fight via unanimous decision and rightfully so.
In the post-fight press Octagon interview, Diaz initially gave a shoutout to his legendary brother Nick Diaz and then called out Welterweight sensation Jorge Masvidal, who was also in attendance, to a fight in the nearby future.
