Diaz Targeting Pimblett Fight
Nate Diaz has said he wants to fight Paddy Pimblett in 2026.
Diaz has not competed since his 2024 boxing match against Jorge Masvidal, where he secured a majority decision victory to avenge his defeat at UFC 244 in 2019. Since then, Diaz has been aggressively pushing for a return to the UFC. His last UFC fight was a win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 in 2022. However, a fight against Pimblett is unlikely. Paddy will fight Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 on January 24 in an interim lightweight title fight. A win puts him in a position to face the lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, making a Diaz fight less likely. However, Diaz posted a clip of himself hitting the punch bag, saying he wanted to face Pimblett next.
The Approach
Diaz would likely start slow, using constant feints and a high guard to gauge Pimblett’s explosive entry speed. He would employ his signature volume boxing, not necessarily aiming for knockouts, but to punish Pimblett’s entries and accrue damage. Diaz’s conditioning means he can maintain a high pace, while Pimblett has historically slowed down.
Pimblett’s route to victory would be a high-output, prioritizing a takedown to neutralize Diaz’s length and force the fight on the floor. Pimblett cannot afford to box at distance with Diaz. Pimblett’s primary goal would be to land a massive takedown and quickly establish dominant top position. Although Diaz is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Pimblett’s aggressive, chain-wrestling-heavy grappling style is difficult to counter.
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