Chael Sonnen: Returning UFC “leads” Nate Diaz’s free agent potential

Chael Sonnen is excited to see what’s next for Nate Diaz, even if Diaz simply decides to return to the UFC.

Ever since Diaz fought out his contract by defeating Tony Ferguson in the main event of UFC 279 last September, there has been a lot of speculation about what Diaz will do now that he is a free agent after being a member of the UFC roster for 15 years. Social media and boxing star Jake Paul has spoken publicly about welcoming Diaz to the ring and Diaz’s management recently announced that he will be applying for a promoter’s license, presumably to have more control over his career and earnings.

while appearing on MMA watchSonnen added his two cents to the conversation, warning fans that Diaz may not need to tread new ground to get what he wants.

“You want to know what Nate Diaz is going to do next?” Sonnen said. “When I tell you Unknown, what I’m trying to say is all options are on the table, but that option is also to go back to the UFC and fight Conor McGregor. That is not gone now and it has to be Jake Paul or Floyd Mayweather and he has to start his own promotion.

These things are all possibilities, but a return is also on the table; In fact, I think he leads the charge for what is possible for Nate Diaz.”

Will a return to the UFC be disappointing? Sonnen doesn’t think so.

The former contender for the second division UFC title believes that the famous Diaz has reached a point where he has enough influence to enter into favorable negotiations with the UFC.

“He just won’t come back,” Sonnen said. “There’s going to be a whole new, new conversation and I think he wants to have that conversation. Yeah, I think he’s leading the way. I don’t think he’s going to box Floyd and I don’t know how many legs there are for Jake Paul, I realize there’s something to pull.”

Knowing Diaz, it’s highly unlikely he would let anyone break the news before he did. The Californian has always been known for doing things his way, emerging as a cult hero alongside his older brother Nick Diaz and eventually becoming a household name in combat sports after a memorable feud with Conor McGregor and a fight for the “BMF” title against Jorge Masvidal that headlined UFC 244 in Madison Square Garden. Garden.

For Sonnen, this uncertainty is a trademark characteristic of Diaz, not a fault.

“Following Nate Diaz is very complicated,” said Sonnen. “By the way, I think he’d tell me. I think if I called him and said, ‘Nate, by the way, curiosity got me, what are you going to do?’ I never did, and if you want to know why, it’s not because I couldn’t keep some secret, and I’d be worried because he gave her Lee. I don’t know I want to know. I’m enjoying this. I’m really enjoying Nate’s maneuver.

“Nate said a number of things that I didn’t believe. I thought he was working with them. Just for example, when he says he wants to fight Chimaev [The MMA Hour] And two days later he signed to fight Chimaev, I couldn’t believe it when he said that. When he said, “I’m going away or I’m going to do my own promotion,” when he said, “I’m going to think about Floyd,” I thought those were just things you were saying. When he said that he rejected Conor McGregor, which only by calculating my understanding of his contract would bring him $ 12 million. It’s going to be a huge night for the industry. I didn’t believe it. I thought it was working, I thought it was getting attention, they all ended up straight and I honestly enjoyed the ride.”