UFC Rumors: Nate Diaz UFC Return Timeline Revealed as Dana White Reportedly Wants Conor McGregor’s Rival to Make Unexpected Comeback

Will Nate Diaz make a return to the Octagon soon? The Stockton native is one of the most recognizable names in the world of MMA but after his last fight against Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 in 2022, Diaz chose not to re-sign with UFC and became a free agent. He has since competed in a boxing match against social media influencer turned fighter, Jake Paul in 2023 and is currently set to face Jorge Masvidal in a 10-round boxing bout on July 6.

However, recently there have been speculations surrounding a possible return to the UFC for Diaz. His older brother, Nick, is currently scheduled to face Vicente Luque at the UFC Abu Dhabi event in August, as such, fans have been curious to know if they’ll get to witness another UFC run by the younger Diaz!

UFC and Dana White looking to bring Nate Diaz back after he is done with boxing

Nate Diaz is gearing up to settle his score with Jorge Masvidal as the two have previously faced off inside the Octagon for the inaugural ‘BMF’ title clash in UFC 244 in 2019 which Diaz lost via a doctor stoppage TKO in the third round. Consequently, their showdown inside the squared circle will be a chance for Diaz to avenge his loss to Masvidal, but in a recent interview with ESPN, the Stockton native indicated that he originally wanted to have the rematch in MMA.

Diaz stated, “I was like, why don’t we fight an MMA? Oh, he can’t fight MMA, he is not allowed. So I was like, well as long as we get to go out there and settle some is the biggest deal outside the UFC for me. Because none of the boxers wants to box. Then UFC wants to lock me down forever.”

His comments indicate that his choice to not re-sign with the UFC and pursue free agency was due to the terms being offered to him by the promotion and Dana White. However, in a recent update on X by Rueben Carter, it was revealed that “The UFC have approached Nate Diaz about a potential return to the company after his fight against Jorge Masvidal.”

While Diaz’s immediate focus is on his boxing match with Masvidal, the possibility of seeing him back in the UFC remains alive for the fandom, however, depending upon the terms being offered to him, it remains to be seen if the promotion and boss Dana White manage to secure his return. Nevertheless, Diaz recently also made a stunning statement about his rival, Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from his UFC 303 bout due to an injury!

Diaz comes out in support of ‘The Notorious’

Despite their heated rivalry, Nate Diaz has stood by Conor McGregor while the Irishman has been under fire by the fandom for pulling out of his fight against Michael Chandler. Diaz and McGregor’s storied rivalry currently stands at 1-1 with a potential trilogy fight still a possibility. In a recent interview with former UFC star Demetrious Johnson on his YouTube channel, Diaz expressed his understanding of McGregor’s situation, drawing from his own experiences in the Octagon.

He stated, “That’s experience, you know, he was f***** up when he fought his last fight and I’ve been f***** up in hella fights and I don’t want to like to cry about it afterwards ‘cuz your a** shouldn’t have came to fight if you was f***** up, that’s how I think about it.”

Diaz also emphasized that that it’s not fair of the fandom to judge fighters without understanding the full context of the situation and as such, he further stated, “So it’s like when people are like, ‘wah’, I’m like why don’t you just shut up and sit down?”

In conclusion, Nate Diaz’s support for Conor McGregor underscores the fact that despite their rivalries, fighters can still find common ground through shared experiences. As Diaz prepares for his next challenge in the boxing ring, the possibility of his return to the UFC remains a tantalizing prospect for fans who are eagerly anticipating what the future holds for the Stockton native. Do you think Nate Diaz will return to the UFC and will we see a trilogy fight between him and McGregor? Let us know in the comments below!