Nate Diaz needed only one round to break his UFC losing skid in style on this day 14 years ago.
Diaz built up quite the highlight reel during his career competing inside the Octagon, from bloody brawls to memorable finishes.
When it comes to the latter of those, not many topped Diaz’s performance on this day, September 24, in 2011, when he made a statement on the undercard of Jon Jones’ title defense against Rampage Jackson at UFC 135.
Nate Diaz tapped out Takanori Gomi on Jon Jones undercard at UFC 135
Diaz entered the UFC 135 pay-per-view off the back of consecutive losses to Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald. That marked the second losing skid of his career, and he bounced back from both in similar fashion.
After Diaz submitted Melvin Guillard at UFC Oklahoma City to avoid a three-fight skid for the first time, the Stockton star forced a tap even quicker when sharing the cage with Takanori Gomi two years later.
Gomi was once a top Pride star, having become the promotion’s one and only lightweight champion and accumulated the biggest-ever win streak under the legendary banner.
While ‘The Fireball Kid’ was past his best by 2011, he was still a talented grappler. Diaz, however, had been making a splash with some of his work on the ground, and he did so once again at the Japanese great’s expense.
In the final minute of round one, the former WEC title challenger transitioned from a triangle choke to an armbar submission. Diaz’s move forced an instant tap from Gomiwho submitted just as color commentator Joe Rogan suggested Diaz was going to “break his arm.”
Nate Diaz was mocked for a recent callout as his fighting future remains unclear
It has been years since Diaz last competed in MMA, and it would appear that the Stockton native still has his focus on the ring for the time being.
While Diaz has teased a UFC return three years on from fighting out his contract with a submission victory over Tony Ferguson, the fan favorite’s most recent callout was directed at one of boxing’s biggest stars.
After watching Terence Crawford beat Canelo Alvarez in their undisputed super middleweight fight, Diaz joined Ilia Topuria by becoming the latest MMA star to call the victorious ‘Bud’ out.
Having split his pro boxing fights 1-1 against Jake Paul and Nate Diaz, the 40-year-old was quickly mocked by many fans for his post.
