If anybody’s getting a shot, somebody’s getting a shot against me because I’m the guy to beat. – Nate Diaz
It cost me a lot of money to have a vacation, basically. It’s nice to step back and see there’s more to life. – Nate Diaz
People don’t understand: I’ve had 37 fights, three to five fights every year, for 17 years. That does something to somebody. These suspensions are the only vacations I’ve ever had. – Nate Diaz
There was a rumor I was walking around at 183 pounds. When I left my room to fight Conor McGregor, I was 179 pounds. That means by the time I walked in the cage, I was probably 175, 174 pounds. – Nate Diaz
You know when I fight, I’m going to sell out the show. Everyone wants to see someone get knocked out or tapped out. – Nate Diaz
I try to cancel out every possibility of losing the fight, and this runs through my head all day long. I’m seeing myself become smashed in the face, cut, or being submitted or being knocked out in so many different ways all day long. – Nate Diaz
I’ve lost fights before where I’m landing more punches and I’m moving away from the guy. So, the way that they score things at the end doesn’t seem very consistent to me. – Nate Diaz
I’m scared of any fighter I’ve ever fought because they are some dangerous people to be dealing with. That’s also where the anxiety comes from. – Nate Diaz
Whoever has lost a fight in the UFC and hasn’t wanted to fight that guy the next day shouldn’t be in the sport. – Nate Diaz
I’m trying to stay focused on what I’m doing. I don’t want a whole lot of things going on – people to call back, or text messages or whatever. I chill out, relax a little bit, and then I don’t have those issues. – Nate Diaz
I win by submissions, knockouts. There’s guys ranked above me, but no one’s interested in seeing them fight. They want to see me fight. – Nate Diaz
I can always do five, five-minute rounds, any day, even if I was drinking yesterday or doing whatever. I’m a seasoned athlete, an endurance athlete, and I’m always working out. – Nate Diaz
Money talks. I want the biggest fight. Whoever I’ve got to fight – the biggest show, biggest payday – that’s what I want. – Nate Diaz
People like to talk a lot about me, about how I have anxiety or social disorders. I’ll admit to anxiety, but it has nothing to do with media or being in front of a camera or being around people. It has to do with dealing with the sparring that I’m going to have or the workouts that I’m going to have from day to day. – Nate Diaz
It’s just kinda irritating to me that we’re awarding people in mixed martial arts for trying to move away and not finish the fight. – Nate Diaz
I’m not sure what the UFC’s agenda is when it comes to me. It’s their show, their press. They can change to whatever they want to do at any point. They own this thing. They can do whatever they want. – Nate Diaz
My parents moved around Stockton and Lodi. I had a lot of anxiety about jumping into another classroom. They were always putting me in special ed. But I was smart; I wasn’t like these kids in the special-ed classes. But it would make me feel a little bit stupid. – Nate Diaz
If you don’t find time to meditate and get all that negative out, and if you don’t have the right people being positive around you, this is a very scary job to have if you don’t learn how to control your fear. – Nate Diaz
I walk around – people know who I am. I’ve got friends. I can make ends meet. I grew up around people who have been hustling from the start, so I think I’ve got a bright little future ahead of me – especially if I don’t fight. Why would I want to go out there and fight with somebody, get my face punched and kicked. It’s not my idea of a good time. – Nate Diaz
