Nate Diaz believes he is destined for a title shot.
Win or lose against Leon Edwards at UFC 263, Nate Diaz believes he is destined for championship success.
The welterweight fan favorite is one of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster and believes he can utilize his star power to leverage a title shot, no matter the outcome this weekend.
Diaz spoke to Rolling Stone earlier this week and explained that, win or lose on Saturday, he is ultimately the one calling the shots and pulling the UFC’s strings.
“History just happens for me, huh?” Diaz, who demanded a five-round fight against Edwards, told Mike Bohn. “I was just like, ‘I’m trying to fight a main event for five rounds.’ They’re just like, ‘We got a main event with these guys.’ I’m like, ‘Whatever, I’m the main event either way. Let’s do it (for five rounds).”
“He’s the top guy, he’s the guy who has been beating everybody, so why wouldn’t I fight the best guy?” he added. “It’s impressive when somebody can win that many times in a row in the big show… He knows how to win and he knows how to get it done, so it’s going to be a serious, but not serious fight. I gotta kill the motherf*cker.”
“I don’t care if I lose, I’m (still) fighting for the title. The plan is win here and then we’ll see who’s next for me. … I’m rolling with the punches right now, but whatever I’m going to do it’s going to be bigger than anything anybody is going to do.”
Diaz will most certainly need a win to challenge Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title but his stock is unlikely to change even if he loses to Edwards.
UFC 263, which will feature Edwards vs. Diaz on the main card, takes place Saturday, June 12 at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.