Cesar Gracie isn’t closing the doors on a renewed business relationship between Nate DIaz and the UFC.
Fan-favorite Nate Diaz will fight out the final bout of his UFC contract when he headlines UFC 279 against rising star Khamzat Chimaev. But according to long-time mentor Cesar Gracie, that doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the business relationship between his fighter and the organization.
“Nate hasn’t told me this, so I’m not saying that but I can see him coming back to the UFC in better terms for him in the future,” Gracie said in his recent appearance on Submission Radio.
“You know, doing his thing, and then, hey, look, now if you’re really gonna pay me I’ll go fight McGregor or whoever else you guys want me to fight, type of a thing. And then the McGregor fight makes a lot of sense for everybody, I think.”
Gracie is among those who see the sense behind the Diaz-Conor McGregor trilogy and believes Nate’s impending UFC departure could help turn that into a possibility. Especially since the 37-year-old veteran has apparently been getting lucrative offers.
“I think a trilogy makes sense, and I think Nate leaving and then they would have to pay him what he is worth to come back. So, I think it’s a smart move,” Gracie said.
“Because the offers are coming in for Nate from other organizations, from very famous boxers, by the way, have been calling in to fight Nate when he is out and offering a lot of money to do it. Very well-known boxers. Retired ones.”
Diaz is currently focused on Chimaev, Gracie says, along with a new addition to the family.
“I was speaking to Nate yesterday, and he was supposed to come out on Monday [to train]. I think it was Monday night. We were all gonna train at my gym in Pleasant Hill, Nick, Nate. And then Nate kind of canceled. But then what happened was, his wife went into premature labor, and so he had a baby yesterday,” he revealed.
“So, he had just a beautiful little girl. He sent me a picture and everything. And I go, okay, you’re excused from training today, you know what I mean? But, but yeah, he’s doing really good.”
Diaz vs. Chimaev happens on September 10 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.