WATCH: California vs Dagestan rivalry reignited as Nate Diaz launches water bottles at Islam Makhachev teammates
Former UFC superstar Nate Diaz got into a backstage altercation with Islam Makhachev's team ahead of the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-ins.
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Nate Diaz gets into a backstage altercation with Islam Makhachev's team (Image via Imago/X)
Last night was a hectic evening at the UFC office as the promotion held its first press conference for the upcoming UFC 311 event scheduled for January. Notably, the headliners including Islam Makhachev were present. Interestingly, former UFC star Nate Diaz also made an appearance. As is often the case, Diaz found himself in another backstage altercation, this time with one of Makhachev’s teammates.
The press conference for UFC 311 took place alongside the upcoming ceremonial weigh-ins for UFC 310, featuring several exciting matchups. One of the fights on the card includes Nate Diaz’s friend and training partner, Kron Gracie, who is scheduled to clash with Bryce Mitchell. What started as a friendly visit for the ‘Stockton Slugger’ turned into a bit of trouble minutes after the press conference.
After the UFC 311 presser concluded, Diaz encountered Islam Makhachev and his fellow Dagestani teammates while waiting for the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-ins to begin. Subsequently, the ‘Stockton Slugger’ was observed throwing water bottles at Makhachev’s team, who responded by throwing bottles back at Diaz. However, security quickly intervened and separated both parties.
Nate Diaz and Team Makhachev threw water bottles at each other backstage ? #UFC310 pic.twitter.com/gr3TDd5abt
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 7, 2024
The reason behind Diaz throwing water bottles at Makhachev’s team is still unclear. However, this isn’t the first time he has acted out this way. Over the years, the Stockton Slugger has had several backstage altercations. Meanwhile, Diaz has never had a fondness for Makhachev’s team or fighters from Dagestan.
When Nate Diaz berated Khabib Nurmagomedov for ‘running off’ from the sport
Nate Diaz is a veteran of the sport and a former UFC superstar. Throughout his illustrious career with the promotion, he has faced several formidable opponents and developed exciting rivalries. One of the most notable rivalries was between Diaz and former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Over the years, there have been several instances where both Nurmagomedov and Diaz exchanged heated words. Despite this rivalry, the two top former UFC fighters never faced each other in the octagon. One reason for this is Nurmagomedov’s early retirement from the sport. In response to the Dagestani’s decision to quit, Diaz seemingly lashed out at the Dagestani fighter for ending his career prematurely.
F*ck Khabib. Khabib is the worst. Just look at him, he ran off, he’s a jock…
Nate Diaz via FULL SEND PODCAST
After retirement, Khabib has taken on the role of coach and mentor for fellow Dagestani fighters, including Islam Makhachev. However, a recent altercation between Diaz and Makhachev’s teammates may have reignited the intense rivalry between California and Dagestan. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops.
Related: Surprising admission from Ian Garry from training with rival Shavkat Rakhmonov adds drama to UFC 310
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Nilaav Gogoi
(526 Articles Published)