UFC Hall of Famer casts doubt on Nate Diaz’s chances against Max Holloway

Holloway made it onto Diaz’s radar earlier this year when the free agent showed interest in coming back to the UFC. While fans would love to see it, there are some worries about how much sense it makes for Diaz, who just turned 40 last month.

While there’s no question that fight would draw big numbers, one UFC legend isn’t so sure it’s the right move for Diaz at this point in his career. And it doesn’t have anything to do with skill level or name recognition – more about what’s left in the tank.

Daniel Cormier doubts Nate Diaz can keep pace with Max Holloway

Nate Diaz hasn’t fought in the UFC since his submission win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 back in 2022.

Since then, he’s split two boxing matches, losing to Jake Paul before earning a narrow decision win over Jorge Masvidal last summer.

Holloway, on the other hand, has impressed with his striking at lightweight, picking up wins over Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. That’s left former champion and current commentator Daniel Cormier questioning whether even someone as tough as Diaz can keep up.

“I have a hard time thinking that Nate Diaz can fight right now with a guy like Max Holloway,” Cormier said on Good Guy / Bad Guy.

“Because Max Holloway is still ascending.

“Nate is still very good. I just don’t know if you can leave MMA, where it’s the same thing we talked about with Amanda Nunes, you don’t get better not doing something.

“Unless Nate has been in training camp this whole time wrestling, grappling, striking, it’ll be hard to get back in there at a championship level.”

Cormier also pointed out how the meaning of the BMF title has changed over time.

“The BMF title before was fun. It was guys that weren’t necessarily in title contention, guys that didn’t really have a path to a title. But now you’ve had the BMF title with Justin, Dustin, Max, and those guys. Those are all guys that have held some version of a world championship. It’s not the same BMF division that it used to be.

“I’m interested [in Holloway vs. Diaz] because anybody should be interested in Nate Diaz returning. I just don’t know if that’s the right fight for Nate Diaz.

“Would love it for Holloway because that means a lot of money in his pocket, but I just don’t know if that’s the right fight for Diaz.”

Lightweight division brought the BMF title back in 2023

There wasn’t another fight for the belt for almost four years after it was first introduced.

The original matchup between Diaz and Masvidal was seen more as a unique event than the start of an ongoing title. After Masvidal took the win at UFC 244 through a doctor’s stoppage, he never defended it, even though Kamaru Usman, his next opponent and then-champion, was interested in putting it on the line.

In 2023, the UFC reintroduced the BMF lightweight title at UFC 291, where Gaethje knocked out Poirier. Holloway later became the first to defend the title, defeating Poirier at UFC 318.