Nate Diaz
Born	Nathan Anthony Diaz April 16, 1985 (1985-04-16) (age 25) Stockton, California, United States
Nationality	American
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st)
Division	Lightweight Welterweight
Reach	76.0 in (193 cm)
Style	Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing
Fighting out of	Stockton, California
Team	Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Rank	brown belt in BJJ
MMA record
Total	17
Wins	12
By knockout	3
By submission	8
Losses	5
Draws	0
Other information
Notable relatives	Nick Diaz, brother
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Nathan Anthony Diaz (born April 16, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist, currently competing for UFC in the Welterweight (MMA) and Lightweight (MMA) divisions. He is well known as the Ultimate Fighter Season 5 champion and has amassed victories in Strikeforce, Pancrase, and the World Extreme Cagefighting promotions. Diaz is a graduate of Tokay High School in Lodi, California and holds a brown belt in Cesar Gracie jiu-jitsu. He is the younger brother of Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz.

Diaz is affiliated with the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Pleasant Hill, California, where he trains under Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie.

The Ultimate Fighter 5

He was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 5 show, exclusively featuring lightweights. He fought on Jens Pulver's team. In the preliminary round, Diaz defeated Rob Emerson by submission; in the quarterfinals he defeated fellow Team Pulver teammate Corey Hill via triangle choke in the first round. In the semifinals, he defeated Team Penn member Gray Maynard by submission, advancing to the finals where he faced Manvel Gamburyan.

Though Gamburyan won the first round, he was forced to submit in the second round due to the dislocation of his right shoulder as the result of attempting a takedown. With this, Diaz became the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 5.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

After defeating Alvin Robinson at UFC Fight Night 12 he demanded tougher fighters. Diaz was given a match with Kurt Pellegrino at UFC Fight Night 13. Diaz defeated Pellegrino via submission (triangle choke) in the second round. The choke was so well placed that Diaz had time to flex for the crowd and throw up double middle fingers before putting Pellegrino away.

Diaz defeated Josh Neer by split decision at UFC Fight Night 15.

Diaz then fought Clay Guida at UFC 94: St. Pierre vs. Penn 2, losing via split decision. Guida offered his usual offense in his persistence with grappling, but was flipped several times by Diaz's judo-esque switches when Guida was hugging his back. These switches failed to improve position for Diaz, but he had Guida noticeably hurt in the 2nd round when he was allowed to stand on his feet and open up with his boxing range. After three rounds, the judge awarded Guida the split decision victory. It marked his first loss in the UFC in what was also his PPV debut.

Diaz met Joe Stevenson at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale. Diaz struggled with Stevenson's wrestling skills, and while active on the ground, was controlled with takedowns and top position throughout the 3 rounds, unable to work significant submission offense or stand on his feet. He lost by unanimous decision.

After two consecutive losses by decision, he was billed to headline UFC Fight Night 19 opposite Melvin Guillard. Diaz was knocked down by a right hook seconds into the fight but recovered almost immediately, scoring two trip takedowns despite being flipped once by Guillard executing a judo throw (harai goshi). He displayed a good chin throughout the rest of the fight, maintaining composure even when hit flush several times, becoming more accurate and effective with his boxing in the second stanza, and after backing up Guillard with a left and right jab combo, his opponent (in a move somewhere between playing possom & showboating) backed up until he bounced off the side of the cage, missed with a swing and looked to take Diaz down. At this moment Diaz locked in a modified guillotine choke or a half Peruvian neck-tie, using his right leg to keep Melvin in position. He nodded to the crowd in attendance before Guillard tapped and won at 2:30 of round 2.

Diaz faced Gray Maynard on January 11, 2010 in the main event at UFC Fight Night 20, a rematch from when the two met in the semi-finals of the TUF 5 lightweight tournament, where Diaz won. Diaz lost in a controversial split decision to Maynard, as the former TUF winner was given the nod in the fightmetric reports, winning rounds two and three.

Move to Welterweight

After three losses in four fights, Nate considered making a permanent move up in weight to the 170 lb. weight class, stating "I don't make enough money to have to drop this much weight so I'd like to fight at 170 and only go to [155] every once in awhile."

He then entered into talks to make his welterweight debut at UFC 111. A fight against Rory Markham was later confirmed. At the weigh-ins, Joe Rogan incorrectly announced the fight as a middleweight bout. Markham weighed in at 177, whereas Diaz weighed in at the welterweight limit of 171. Diaz went on to win the fight by TKO in the first round. After the win Diaz stated he would compete in both weight classes.

Diaz is expected to face Marcus Davis on August 28, 2010 at UFC 118.

Strikeforce: Nashville post-fight brawl

Diaz was one of the members of the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu team who participated in a post-fight brawl live on CBS after Jake Shields defeated Dan Henderson. Jason Miller somehow gained access to the cage and interrupted Shields, asking "Where's my rematch, buddy?", into the microphone referring to a previous fight between the two at Strikeforce: Fedor vs Rogers in 2009. Gilbert Melendez would then shove Miller before Shields. Nick Diaz would then throw the first punch that would start the whole brawl. Members of the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu camp, including Diaz, his brother Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez attacked Miller, while Miller was restrained on the canvas by members of Diaz's camp he would then begin to kick Miller. The fight was then broken up by referees, members of Dan Henderson's corner and members of security.

Mixed Martial Arts record

Result	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Win	12-5	Rory Markham	TKO (Punches)	UFC 111: St-Pierre vs Hardy	02010-03-27 27 March 2010	1	2:47	Newark, New Jersey, US	Was intended to be Diaz's welterweight debut, but instead was a catchweight bout (177 lbs) after Markham failed to make weight
Loss	11-5	Gray Maynard	Decision (Split)	UFC Fight Night 20: Maynard vs. Diaz	02010-01-11 11 January 2010	3	5:00	Fairfax, Virginia, US
Win	11-4	Melvin Guillard	Submission (Guillotine Choke)	UFC Fight Night 19: Diaz vs. Guillard	02009-09-16 16 September 2009	2	2:13	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, US	Submission of the Night
Loss	10-4	Joe Stevenson	Decision (Unanimous)	The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale	02009-06-20 20 June 2009	3	5:00	Las Vegas, Nevada, US	Fight of the Night
Loss	10-3	Clay Guida	Decision (Split)	UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2	02009-01-31 31 January 2009	3	5:00	Las Vegas, Nevada, US	Fight of the Night
Win	10-2	Josh Neer	Decision (Split)	UFC Fight Night 15: Diaz vs Neer	02008-09-17 17 September 2008	3	5:00	Omaha, Nebraska, US	Fight of the Night
Win	9-2	Kurt Pellegrino	Submission (Triangle Choke)	UFC Fight Night 13: Florian vs Lauzon	02008-04-02 2 April 2008	2	3:06	Broomfield, Colorado, US	Submission of the Night
Win	8-2	Alvin Robinson	Submission (Triangle Choke)	UFC Fight Night 12: Swick vs Burkman	02008-01-23 23 January 2008	1	3:39	Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Win	7-2	Junior Assuncao	Submission (Guillotine Choke)	UFC Fight Night 11: Thomas vs Florian	02007-09-19 19 September 2007	1	4:10	Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Win	6-2	Manvel Gamburyan	Submission (Shoulder Injury)	The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale	02007-06-23 23 June 2007	2	0:20	Las Vegas, Nevada, US	Won The Ultimate Fighter 5
Loss	5-2	Hermes Franca	Submission (Armbar)	WEC 24: Full Force	02006-10-12 12 October 2006	2	2:46	Lemoore, California, US	For WEC Lightweight Championship
Win	5-1	Dennis Davis	Submission (Keylock)	WC – Warrior Cup	02006-08-12 12 August 2006	1	2:00	Stockton, California, US
Win	4-1	Joe Hurley	Submission (Triangle Choke)	WEC 21: Tapout	02006-06-15 15 June 2006	2	2:03	Lemoore, California, US
Win	3-1	Gil Rael	TKO (Punches)	WEC 20: Cinco de Mayhem	02006-05-05 5 May 2006	1	3:35	Lemoore, California, US
Win	2-1	Tony Juares	TKO (Punches)	Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie	02006-03-10 10 March 2006	1	3:23	San Jose, California, US
Loss	1-1	Koji Oishi	Decision (Unanimous)	Pancrase 2005 Neo Blood Tournament Finals	02005-08-27 27 August 2005	3	5:00	Tokyo, Japan
Win	1-0	Alex Garcia	Submission (Triangle Choke)	WEC 12: Halloween Fury 3	02004-10-21 21 October 2004	3	2:17	Lemoore, California, US

External links

• Official site of Nathan Diaz
• Professional MMA record for Nathan Diaz from Sherdog