In monetary terms, Nate Diaz’s year-long holdout was for naught, as he’ll return to the Octagon under the same deal he had when he decided to sit out last year.
But the Stockton lightweight did get one concession from the UFC: Diaz wanted a high-profile fight against a top-notch opponent in his return bout.
MMAFighting.com‘s Ariel Helwani reported on Wednesday’s edition of UFC Tonight that sources close to Diaz report he would only return for a fight against a top-five guy in the division.
His wish was granted, as Diaz was given Rafael dos Anjos in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 13 in Phoenix on Dec. 13. Dos Anjos, winner of seven of his past eight fights, is currently ranked No. 3 in the UFC’s official lightweight rankings.
Diaz enters the bout with five fights remaining on his current deal.