Nate Diaz has a message for Jon Anik after beating Conor McGregor
If there's one thing that can be learned about the outcome of the UFC 196 main event, it's not to bet against Nate Diaz in what looked like an impossible situation.
Diaz accepted a fight against Conor McGregor on less than two weeks notice and walked into to the bout as a 5-to-1 underdog according to odds-makers. None of that matters when the night was over, however, as Diaz submitted McGregor with a second-round rear-naked choke to hand the outspoken Irishman his first loss in the UFC.
Prior to the fight taking place, UFC commentator Jon Anik had stated that if Diaz pulled off the win he would get a "209" (the area code for Stockton, Calif. where Diaz resides) tattoo on his arm.
Diaz took Anik's remark as a slight as if he didn't have a chance to beat McGregor, but after his win on Saturday night he reminded him that a deal is a deal and he better get the tattoo or he might be wearing a target on his back.
"Jon Anik better get a (expletive) 209 tattoo or I'm going to whoop his little ass," Diaz said at the UFC 196 post-fight press conference.
It looks like Anik will avoid a confrontation with Diaz because as soon as the fight with McGregor came to a close, he took to Twitter and confessed that it was time to start seeking out a tattoo artist to pay up his end of the bargain.
As far as his thoughts on the fight, Diaz said he wasn't surprised by anything that happened inside the Octagon with McGregor other than taking a few extra punches that he didn't think would land.
Outside of those exchanges, Diaz was ultra-confident that he could hand McGregor a defeat and it might have been even worse if he actually had a training camp to prepare.
"I knew I was the superior boxer, the superior martial artist, superior jiu-jitsu," Diaz said. "I said from the beginning, I have the best training partners in the world in every aspect, boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu and MMA. Nothing surprised except that I got hit at all. I think with a full camp I would have been flawless but it's whatever. I'm not surprised.
"He got a lot of push, he's been doing great, he got a lot of help behind him and I just wish I had the same push."
With the win over McGregor it's likely Diaz will not only get a big push from the UFC but probably have his pick of fights when he's ready to return to action.
Whether that materializes in a title shot against lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos or another intriguing matchup, Diaz seems ready for anything and everything the UFC is willing to offer.
"I'm at the top," Diaz said. "So it's their call what's next. We'll see what happens."
