Only a week out from his title return at UFC 311, Islam Makhachev has spilled on his backstage altercation with Nate Diaz throughout a pre-fight occasion final month, which concerned the Stockton veteran launching water bottles within the route of his group.
Makhachev, the present undisputed light-weight champion and pound-for-pound primary fighter beneath the banner of the promotion, is about to return at UFC 311 subsequent weekend, rematching primary contender, Arman Tsarukyan within the headliner.
Picture by way of: Getty
As for Diaz, the previous light-weight title challenger and Final Fighter winner has been out of motion since UFC 279, the place he fought out his contract in a fourth spherical come-from-behind submission win over former interim gold holder, Tony Ferguson.
Linked with a return to motion later this 12 months in a deal to re-up with the promotion, Diaz cornered coaching companion, Kron Gracie at UFC 310 final month, with the Brazilian struggling an eventual knockout loss to Bryce Mitchell following a barrage of floor strikes.
Nonetheless, positioned backstage forward of the ceremonial weigh ins, Nate Diaz and Islam Makhachev’s group traded verbals backstage, earlier than water bottles had been launched in one another’s route, with safety personnel and UFC officers holding each groups separated.
Islam Makhachev reveals backstage spat with Nate Diaz
And sharing his story of how the occasion unfolded, Russian star, Makhachev claimed Diaz — who was beforehand respectful of him, flipped the script and flipped him off backstage earlier than the fiasco.
“You know, and next day they [the UFC] put me inside, like close to the cage,” Islam Makhachev instructed Demetrious Johnson. “I sit with Dana (White), and Dana com to me and say, you might be troublemaker, you understand. I say, Dana, it’s not my fault. We sit within the, earlier than the combat day. I’ve press convention, the fighters have official weigh-in. We sit and (Nate) Diaz begin to present them like, you understand. Your center finger. Yeah.For what? Yeah.
“You understand, perhaps for somebody it’s good, no drawback, nevertheless it’s not our type as a result of one of many man, he put on the masks, you understand. Possibly he’s sick somewhat bit, he put on the masks and perhaps Diaz pondering, oh, it’s Khabib (Nurmagomedov) and present him, you understand.
“But that day Khabib not in Vegas, he’s in some other country, you know,” Islam Makhachev continued. “…You know what the interesting [thing is], like maybe five, six months ago, I meet Diaz in the elevator in the Wynn hotel. He go to cross to me and say, respect, respect, respect, just walk. But what changed now, when a lot of cameras come, they always people change, you know.”
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Publish date : 2025-01-08 00:20:57
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