Dana White: Nate Diaz vs. Matt Brown ‘doesn’t make sense,’ but I’ll do Nick Diaz vs. Brown

Less than a week after Matt Brown cemented himself as a bona fide welterweight contender by starching Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 40, one of the UFC’s most polarizing lightweights placed Brown directly in his crosshairs.

“I want the Matt Brown fight,” Nate Diaz declared to MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani. “That’s what I’m looking for. I’m trying to fight the baddest motherf–kers out there. I’m not trying to fight some lame ass fighter that they’re trying to build off of me.”

Diaz (17-9) crushed Gray Maynard via first-round TKO in his most recent outing last November, but of late the Stockton native has become persona non grata in UFC circles. The promotion removed Diaz’s name from its own lightweight rankings in early May, nearly a month after Diaz publicly voiced his displeasure regarding his Zuffa contract.

Regardless, Diaz made it clear that he’d set aside his personal grievances in order to fight Brown. Though when asked about the idea on Wednesday’s episode of UFC Tonight, UFC President Dana White wasted little time shooting down Diaz’s offer.

“There’s no way in the world,” said White. “That fight has not been talked about. It’s not even close. We never even considered that fight.

“Nate Diaz did say he was interested in that fight, but that fight doesn’t make sense. He’s fighting at ’55. He’s lost two of his last three fights, and Brown is on this unbelievable roll. Brown is a welterweight and has been fighting there for a long time, and is deserved a top contender.

“Listen,” White added, “If Nick Diaz wants to come out and fight Brown, I’ll do that fight.”

Less than a week after Matt Brown cemented himself as a bona fide welterweight contender by starching Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 40, one of the UFC’s most polarizing lightweights placed Brown directly in his crosshairs.

“I want the Matt Brown fight,” Nate Diaz declared to MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani. “That’s what I’m looking for. I’m trying to fight the baddest motherf–kers out there. I’m not trying to fight some lame ass fighter that they’re trying to build off of me.”

Diaz (17-9) crushed Gray Maynard via first-round TKO in his most recent outing last November, but of late the Stockton native has become persona non grata in UFC circles. The promotion removed Diaz’s name from its own lightweight rankings in early May, nearly a month after Diaz publicly voiced his displeasure regarding his Zuffa contract.

Regardless, Diaz made it clear that he’d set aside his personal grievances in order to fight Brown. Though when asked about the idea on Wednesday’s episode of UFC Tonight, UFC President Dana White wasted little time shooting down Diaz’s offer.

“There’s no way in the world,” said White. “That fight has not been talked about. It’s not even close. We never even considered that fight.

“Nate Diaz did say he was interested in that fight, but that fight doesn’t make sense. He’s fighting at ’55. He’s lost two of his last three fights, and Brown is on this unbelievable roll. Brown is a welterweight and has been fighting there for a long time, and is deserved a top contender.

“Listen,” White added, “If Nick Diaz wants to come out and fight Brown, I’ll do that fight.”