Dana White: Nate Diaz can sit out the rest of his career
The impasse between Nate Diaz and the UFC seems to be getting even more deadlocked after a recent tweet unleashed by the former Ultimate Fighter winner and it even warranted a response from UFC president Dana White.
Diaz has been out of action since last year due to a contract dispute with the UFC as he's stated on several occasions that he wants a hefty raise to return to the Octagon. Diaz signed a new contract just before his last bout against Gray Maynard, but now the Stockton, Calif. native wants a different deal all together -- one that would pay him a lot more money.
The UFC has continued to offer Diaz fights, most recently a bout against Myles Jury, and repeatedly he's turned them down in favor of sitting out until he gets paid what he believes he's worth.
To make matters worse, Diaz took to Twitter this week to accuse some fighters of sucking up to the UFC while pointing the finger directly at former opponent Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone, who main events the UFC Fight Night card from Atlantic City, NJ on Wednesday.
The tweet forced UFC president Dana White to respond to Diaz while telling the former top rated lightweight contender that he's a grown man and if he wants to continue sitting out for the rest of his career, that's completely up to him.
"Nate can do whatever he wants to do. Nate can sit out and not suck any UFC whatever, for as long as he wants to. Who cares, he's a grown man," White said. "Sit out for as long as you want, sit out the rest of your career, it's your decision. But to start making fun of guys who actually like to fight, and guys who go out there and put on unbelievable fights and people love to see him? (Cowboy) steps up and does what he does. People love Cowboy Cerrone."
There doesn't appear to be an end in sight to this fallout between the UFC and Diaz, and neither side seems willing to bend in this battle of wills.
White isn't sure what Diaz hopes to accomplish with his latest tactic especially when his complaints have mostly been about money -- and sitting out earns him nothing.
"Nate wants to talk about making money, but there's only one way to make money," White said, "and that's fighting."
