Nate Diaz returns, faces Rafael dos Anjos at UFC Fight Night on FOX
Following nearly a year out of the sport due to a contract dispute, Nate Diaz will finally return to the Octagon on December 13 when he faces Rafael dos Anjos in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night on FOX: Dos Santos vs. Miocic from Phoenix, Arizona.
UFC officials announced the new fight on Tuesday.
Diaz (17-9) has been embroiled in a very public war of words with the UFC about the financial terms of his contract where he stated several times that he was being underpaid. UFC president Dana White fired back several times in interviews while saying just recently that the two sides were still far apart on getting a deal done to bring the former Ultimate Fighter winner back into the fold.
Whether cooler heads prevailed or the two sides just ultimately settled the grudge, Diaz is returning to the UFC with a huge opportunity to jump ahead in the lightweight rankings when he fights in December.
Welcoming the UFC bad boy back to the Octagon will be Brazilian Rafael dos Anjos (22-7), who fights for the first time since knocking out former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in August. Over his last eight fights, dos Anjos has amassed an impressive 7-1 record with his only loss coming to fellow top five ranked fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Now dos Anjos will land another high profile fight with a chance to knock off Diaz in the process.
UFC Fight Night on FOX in Phoenix is headlined by former heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos taking on Stipe Miocic in a five round main event.
