Top UFC title contender backs Nate Diaz in backstage incident with Islam Makhachev’s team

One highly-rated UFC title contender is backing Nate Diaz in the bottle-throwing incident involving Islam Makhachev’s team.

Diaz and Makhachev were in attendance for the UFC 310 event earlier this month. The Stockton native was supporting Kron Gracie for his fight against Bryce Mitchell. At some point, things escalated between Diaz and Makhachev’s team. Video surfaced of Diaz hurling a water bottle backstage.

Top UFC flyweight Brandon Royval has shared his version of the story and he says Diaz is not in the wrong.

RELATED: NATE DIAZ AND ISLAM MAKHACHEV CLASH IN BACKSTAGE ENCOUNTER

Brandon Royval Says Nate Diaz Didn’t Start Altercation With Team Makhachev

Number one-ranked UFC flyweight Brandon Royval happened to be in the area where the incident between Nate Diaz and Islam Makhachev’s team occurred. During an interview with MMAFighting, Royval alleged that it was Makhachev’s side that started the altercation.

“A water bottle almost hit me when I was with [Nate] Diaz, and I’m like, ‘Alright, who the f*ck am I f*cking up?’” UFC flyweight Brandon Royval told MMA Fighting. “I don’t care who it is. Diaz is walking in front of me. The water bottle f*cking zooms by my head. That’s another thing people didn’t see. Diaz did not throw that first water bottle.

“The first water bottle was thrown at him. He was walking, that water bottle zoomed past, almost f*cking took me out. I look up and I’m like, ‘Who the f*ck was that?’ and then Diaz turned around and I’m like, ‘Oh, they’re going after him.’ But originally I thought these motherf*ckers were throwing water bottles at me. I was like what the f*ck?”

Diaz has never shied away from confrontation, especially if he’s provoked.

The popular MMA icon has insisted that he plans on returning to the UFC. Who he would fight upon his promotional return remains to be seen.