5 Things You Might Not Know About Nate Diaz

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Beyond all the showboating and cage antics, Nate Diaz is a talented fighter who has faced some of the best in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. His talent can be as overwhelming as his character, and fighters like Donald Cerrone, Jim Miller, Takanori Gomi and Gray Maynard learned that the hard way. In a career filled with defining moments, here are five that stand out for “The Skrap Pack” member:

1. He’s ready to call 170 home.

Diaz first fought at welterweight on March 27, 2010 when he knocked out Rory Markham at UFC 111. But since Markham went past the weight limit, the fight was a catchweight contest. Diaz would later make it two in a row by submitting Marcus Davis.

But after that, he dropped two straight decisions to Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald, prompting him to drop back to lightweight. He would not return to 170 until UFC 196 when he agreed to fight Conor McGregor on short notice. In a recent interview, Diaz mentioned that he was done fighting at 155 -- welterweight is the division that he is most comfortable with right now.

2. He may do boxing when he retires from MMA.

In the same interview, Diaz expressed interest in moving to boxing when he’s done with mixed martial arts. With the boxing skills he displays inside the Octagon, this shouldn’t be much of a tough transition for the Stockton, California, native. His boxing for MMA is excellent, and he knows how to make use of his length. Diaz, after all, has been training under the watchful eyes of accomplished boxing trainer Richard Perez for a long time now.

3. A bowl of pasta was pivotal in his choice of diet.

When he was about 17 years old, Diaz decided to stop eating dairy in preparation for a fight. A month without milk and cheese had passed and when the fight was done, he gifted himself with a big bowl of Fettucine Alfredo, which as it turned out was a bad decision. He got sick and was in and out of the bathroom for a week. That’s when he decided to stay away from meat, dairy and other animal products for good.

4. Yes, he teaches jiu-jitsu to kids.

McGregor notably made fun of Diaz leading up to their first fight, calling him a fake gangster who teaches jiu-jitsu to children. According to Diaz, though, he does it to push martial arts in his area and to inspire people. Back in the day, Diaz was one of those kids — not having anything but at least, having somebody to help him out. That’s something he’s still thankful for.

5. There’s a mural of him in Stockton.

Diaz’s iconic photo captured after his win over McGregor was turned into a mural. Created by a local artist named Jared Rusten, it can be found at 29 Aurora Street. The mural was marred by vandals, but the artist had it redone and even added Nate’s elder brother, Nick.