Nate Diaz: ‘Great fighter’ Leon Edwards deserves to hold UFC title for a long time
DALLAS – Nate Diaz has nothing but praise for UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards.
Diaz battled Edwards in a five-round bout in June 2021 at UFC 263, where Edwards put on a clinic before getting clipped and stumbled late in Round 5. Edwards survived the late surge from Diaz and went on to earn a title shot after the win. He dethroned Kamaru Usman to become champion at UFC 278 then beat him in their rubber match at UFC 286 to retain the title.
Diaz fought out his UFC contract after submitting Tony Ferguson last September. He didn’t rule out an octagon return and has his sights set on a trilogy with Conor McGregor. When asked if Edwards is a fight he’d like to get back, the Stockton star was surprisingly complimentary of Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC).
“I don’t think I’m over him either, too,” Diaz told MMA Junkie this week after a news conference at American Airlines Center. “He’s great. He’s a great fighter also, and it’d be cool if he hung on to (the UFC title) for a while and he deserves it. Trains hard and works hard.”
Former UFC title challenger Diaz (0-0) meets YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul (6-1) in an eight-round boxing match on Aug. 5 in Dallas. The fight will be contested at 185 pounds and promoted under the DAZN banner. It streams live on pay-per-view.
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For more on the matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Diaz.
