Nate Diaz ‘100%’ interested in signing for new UFC rival after turning Octagon return down

Nate Diaz is keeping his options open and planning to ‘fight everywhere’ for the foreseeable future.

Earlier this year, Diaz turned down the option to make his UFC return as he wasn’t interested in completing his trilogy with Conor McGregor at that point in their careers.

One of the biggest names in the sport made the decision to be a part of MVP’s first MMA event instead, with Diaz being stopped by Mike Perry on Netflix.

MVP may be hoping to bring him back but the unveiling of a new promotion has given the fan favorite more options.

The Stockton star went 22-13 in the Octagon and did not win a title before leaving in 2022.

Nate Diaz was in attendance on Monday for the unveiling of Scott Coker’s new Ki MMA promotion.

The former UFC title challenger told the media when speaking at the event that he hopes to return in the first half of next year, with the hopes of competing at least two times in 2027.

When Diaz was asked whether he has any interest in signing with Ki MMA, he pointed to the promotion not having fights take place in a cage as a big selling point for him.

“100%,” he said, via MMA Fighting. “Especially if there’s a ring involved but I’m gonna be fighting everywhere for a cool minute.”

Coker sent a message to all the free agents that are out there during his announcement, saying that the funding they have means no signings are out of the realm of possibility.

Diaz previously made it clear that he wanted a rematch with Mike Perry after he was stopped in his long-awaited return to MMA, which would likely be of interest to MVP MMA.

Following Perry’s disastrous night at the first Duel Arena event last month, things have changed.

“Our times are just on different paths right now and different s— might happen,” Diaz said. “I’m open ears to what people might offer and what’s popping right now because I was anxious to get right back in and whoop his a– real quick but yeah, I think things changed a little bit but we’ll see what happens with that. I’m gonna beat his a– at some point.”

It won’t surprise anyone who has followed Nate Diaz for some time that no potential opponents are grabbing his attention right now.

The MMA star has often been critical of the sport and the fighters in it for not turning his head or earning his appreciation.

When Diaz questioned “who else is there right now popping?”, the name Tommy McMillen was put to him.

McMillen has previously compared himself to the Diaz brothers and while he’s only three fights into his UFC career, he’s left a big impression.

“He’s doing a good job,” Diaz said. “I like what he’s doing and his camp, he’s at ‘Suga’ Sean’s [O’Malley] camp, right? Yeah, they got it going on. I like what they’re doing.”