If there was any concern that Nate Diaz‘s star power has waned in the 19 months since he stepped into a UFC cage, it probably disappeared in a cloud of marijuana smoke at the UFC 263 pre-fight press conference.
With a raucous crowd at the Arizona Federal Theatre, Diaz was as much in demand as Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori, or co-headliners Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno, if not more.
Video: Nate Diaz smokes weed and steals the show before UFC 263.
Diaz faces top welterweight contender Leon Edwards in a five-round main card bout on Saturday at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
As the six fighters in attendance looked for one last chance to generate interest in the event, Diaz’s presence seemed more important than any words. The 36-year-old Stockton, California native admitted the fan support was impressive.
“It makes me happy to be back and to be on a big bill. I’m excited about that.”
That was his entire response, and it wasn’t even the shortest answer of the day. That honor would go to this detailed response when asked how training camp went, “Camp was good.”
Diaz’s demeanor was in stark contrast to the loud tirades between middleweight champion Adesanya and challenger Vettori. However, the fans’ support for his every word was no less emphatic, especially when he took a few puffs from a joint, first half-hiding it under the dais and then out in the open as the ceremony progressed.
“There’s love everywhere I go,” Diaz said. “I love the support and I love all this shit. This is great. It’s also great that these guys are doing their thing too. Fuck yeah, a real fight, that’s great.”
Flyweight champion Figueiredo tried to stoke his rivalry with Moreno by talking trash. Diaz did no such thing, instead offering a high compliment to his opponent. Nate compared Edwards to the legendary Georges St-Pierre.
“I think just like GSP was doing his thing way back in the day, I think Edwards is doing the same thing, and he’s not getting any recognition for it. So I’m excited to fight a worthy opponent. That’s why I’m here and I’m coming to win.”
Accomplishing that certainly won’t be an easy task. Bookmakers have Edwards as a -600 favorite. That implies a nearly 86% expectation that the Brit will defeat Diaz. Which would leave him 1-3 in his last four appearances.
But as it has been for much of his career, Thursday’s press conference proved once again that Diaz has reached the rare state of boasting a career that doesn’t rely entirely on wins, nor does it require a boisterous pre-fight push. When Diaz is on the bill, fans already know exactly what to expect.
“Every fight is going to be the best fight they’ve ever seen,” Diaz said. Remember to stay up to date with the latest news on TheOvertimer. Don’t forget to visit Gamestingr for great videos, news, and gameplay!
