Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports
Late last week, Nate Diaz revealed that he would withdraw from his scheduled fight against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244 this weekend (Sat., Nov. 2, 2019) after he was informed he had failed a pre-fight drug test because of a contaminated supplement.
As a result of Diaz’s threat, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) scrambled to make things right, ultimately revealing that Diaz was clean — he did not intentionally cheat and would not be suspended despite testing positive for trace amounts of a prohibited selective androgen receptor module (SARM).
And instead of moving the event to different state, Diaz was cleared and the process in his case was expedited in record time since the amount in his system didn’t signify any intent to cheat.
One of the points that stuck out the most in Diaz’s revelation was the he was told to keep quiet about the whole situation, presumably to allow him to compete at the much-anticipated pay-per-view (PPV) event.
Diaz, though, wasn’t having it, choosing to get out in front of the issue to prove he wasn’t trying to hide anything. As far as who told him to lay low, Diaz isn’t snitching.
“I’m not trying to throw anybody under the rug like that. It was just a big secret and it was shady and it sounded like some shit that people on steroids are involved in. And I didn’t feel comfortable with that,” Diaz proclaimed during a recent media call to promote his upcoming “BMF” title fight.
“So I was like let’s just put it on the table then. Because if you’re going to tell me right now I’m going to test positive for some shit, then everyone’s’ going to freak out and go buck wild and I don’t even want to fight.”
Had the fight been canceled, UFC 244 would’ve taken a major hit, as would have UFC. But that was a risk Diaz was willing to take since no one apparently cared about ruining his legacy and reputation of being a clean fighter.
“So I said, let’s just say I did accidentally took some shit, which I didn’t, but let’s say I did. Well then let’s just fucking fight in a couple of months when this shit wears off. You know what I’m saying? I have no problem with that. I don’t care if we ruin your show, you ain’t ruining my whole legacy,” he added.
“All I believe is that in this game I’m all natural. If we was cavemen, I would be the hardest cave man out there. You got to do it all by yourself, live on your own and you got to hunt your own food and get it all by yourself. I’m a soldier and I’m not going to be over here taking no cheat shit,” Diaz said.
“On the real, they been cheating for years and everybody I’ve been fighting has been on steroids. Most people, I don’t want to diss everybody, most people. Most people in UFC, champion or not champion, they’re all on fucking steroids. But they are going to pass the tests and they know how to pass tests. I know because I know all the motherfuckers.”
As far as why he would risk millions of dollars for coming out in the open, Diaz says because money isn’t worth the guilt of cheating.
“It ain’t worth the millions if you’re going to be cheating over it. You have to sleep with that. I know it was some bullshit so that’s why I said fix it. And if you don’t fix it then that’s your battle now and I have all the confidence in the world,” he added. That’s why I talk about people on steroids that keep it a secret. Why is it a secret if it’s not true? That whole keeping it a secret and fight shit is just so everyone can make money. It’s fucking cheating and I’m not going to be a part of that.”
As far as having hard feeling toward UFC and USADA, Diaz says he’s moving on but does find it funny that both organizations basically got busted.
“I think it’s funny they all got busted for tripping. I don’t give a fuck, it’s all good. It is what it is and I’d expect nothing less.”
Indeed, Diaz’s situation has set a whole new precedent for USADA’s procedures moving forward, so you can expect more fighters to try and use this instance as an example to combat their own failed tests should it come to that.
And rightfully so.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 244 fight card this weekend RIGHT HERE, starting with the Fight Pass/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN 2 at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 244: “Masvidal vs. Diaz” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.