NATE DIAZ

ATTRIBUTES

OFFENSIVE SKILLS

DEFENSIVE SKILLS

ULTIMATE TECHNIQUES

WHIP LEFT STRAIGHT

Level 3—Both Standing, Striking Range

Diaz throws this long left punch with great speed, aiming to sneak it in and land it against opponents on the way inside. Fire off this high-level technique strike often.

SUPLEX TO SIDE CONTROL, TOP

Level 2—Double Underhook, Offense

Diaz can heave his opponent from the Double Underhook or Body Lock clinch, dumping him onto the ground and landing on top in Side Control.

DIRECT CATCH TO  TRIANGLE CHOKE

Level 3—Open Guard Clinch, Bottom

Diaz knows how to lock in a triangle from the bottom—simply pull the opponent into Open Guard Clinch on the ground, then go for this excellent technique submission.

STRENGTHS

• Boxing

• Submissions

• Heart

Nate Diaz is a durable, well-rounded fighter with excellent boxing and submission grappling skills. Diaz is at his best when pressing forward with relentless strikes, almost daring the opponent to shoot in for a takedown against him.

Doing so would be a mistake, of course, because Diaz is a submission genius off his back, able to lock in nasty triangle chokes from the bottom that are almost impossible to escape. When fighting as Diaz, open up with powerful strike combos on the feet to inflict fast damage.

Just keep the punches coming, relying on Diaz’s ample gas tank to see you through the intense pace you set.

If the opponent foolishly takes you down, go for submissions from a ground clinch position—even if the opponent escapes, watch how quickly he’ll choose to stand up out of Nate’s guard afterward.

WEAKNESSES

• Strength

• Kicks

• Fighting in the clinch

While Diaz is dangerous puncher, his kicks lack power and his overall striking speed doesn’t match up with other elite strikers in his division.

Though he’s fast and agile on his feet, Diaz usually doesn’t fare well when grappling in the clinch—look to counter-grapple his power punches on the feet to quickly tie up in the clinch, then muscle Diaz against the cage and work him over with clinch strikes, focusing on controlling him in the position.

Even if you are a grappler, don’t go for takedowns because he’s too dangerous off his back. Keep Diaz locked up in the clinch with his back near the cage for the best advantage in each fight against him.

If you must exchange with him on the feet, get inside with quick strikes to interrupt his combos and take away his reach advantage.