Nate Diaz Clears the Air on Bad Blood with Islam Makhachev

Nate Diaz and Khabib Nurmagomedov aren’t the best of friends. Back in 2015, the Diaz brothers got into a furious public brawl with the Dagestani legend. During their run-in at Planet Hollywood, the duo had a heated argument.

Unfortunately, it escalated quickly, and the two got involved in a full-fledged fight. Now, after so many years have gone by, the incident is still fresh in the UFC fans’ memories. But surprisingly, Diaz has confirmed that he has no such history with Islam Makhachev. 

Diaz recently caught up with Red Corner MMA at the recent launch event of Ki MMA  in New York City. Reflecting on his bad blood with the Dagestanis, the 41-year-old said, “I’ve never had no run-ins with Islam Makhachev. I never had run-ins with anyone. I ran into Khabib back in the day and we all got into it, but that’s about it.”

Diaz and Makhachev did not cross paths inside the UFC octagon ever. However, per Diaz’s recent statement, it seems like the relationship between the two is quite formal. Currently, while Diaz is not in the UFC, Makhachev is a two-division champion. 

What’s Next For Islam Makhachev? 

Makhachev has become one of the most dominant names in UFC history. After defeating Ian Garry to defend his welterweight title, the Dagestani champion is looking for worthy opponents to fight him. At the moment, there are two names that are doing the rounds. 

With Carlos Prates and Michael Morales heavily pushed, Makhachev has previously hinted that he is interested in fighting Prates first. The two-division champion has also confirmed that he is coming back to fight before Ramadan next year. Makhachev also finalized a timeline for his return in February 2027. 

Thus, with a lot to come, fans will be eagerly waiting to find out what’s next.