Nate Diaz’s UFC contract reportedly expiring later this year

UFC welterweight Nate Diaz could be gone from the promotion as soon as November.

The Stockton-slugger has been out of action since his loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 263 last June. Following the defeat, the fan favorite has been vocal about finishing out his contract. The fight with Edwards was the penultimate fight of his current UFC deal.

Although the 37-year-old has been vocal about finishing his UFC contract, he’s been unable to get a fight. In a inteview on The MMA Hour, Diaz revealed that the promotion has been unable to grant him a matchup. During the interview, he stated:

“For the last five, six, seven months however long, when I ask for a fight they offer me more money. They offer me more money and they offer me more money and I’m like at a point in my career and in my life where I don’t want any more money,” Diaz said. “I just want to depart, I’m over the whole UFC roster as of right now. All the guys that they can offer or the guys I’m asking for everybody has been used and abused. It’s a recycled division, the lightweight and welterweight divisions (are) all recycled guys.

Nate Diaz continued, “I feel like there are no worthy opponents for me at the moment so I want to step out and recover from this whole shit. When the time is right, when there is a whole new batch of guys in here doing something good that is when I will be back… I don’t feel like I have anything else to do in the UFC. I’m ready to move on.”

Nate Diaz @ UFC 263

For his part, Dana White hit back at Nate Diaz over the weekend. The UFC President claimed that the star has been turning down fights. White also stated that there’s no way for him to not grant fights.

However, it seems that the Stockton-native might not have to fight to get out of his deal. As reported by ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, Diaz’s contract expires later this year. In fact, his UFC contract could expire as soon as November.

The UFC’s contracts indeed have expiration dates. Francis Ngannou’s contract has too become under scrutiny, as the heavyweight champion could be a free agent next year. If it’s true that Diaz’s deal will be up in November, he may not have to fight after all.

While there is an expiration date, it remains likely that UFC will want the star to fight one more time. He’s been mostly linked to a matchup with welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev. However, as of now, the fight hasn’t been made.

Who do you want to see Nate Diaz fight next? Sound off in the comment section below!