As Nate Diaz prepares for his return on May 16, it’s clear he had several directions he could have gone.
In the end, the Stockton native chose a showdown with Mike Perry under the Most Valuable Promotions banner, leaving other potential opponents behind. Among those who didn’t make the cut was former rival Josh Thomson, who later spoke out about the missed opportunity.
Josh Thomson Claims Nate Diaz Turned Down Rematch Opportunity
During a recent episode of his WEIGHING IN podcast, Josh Thomson didn’t hold back while responding to recent comments from Nate Diaz, who mocked him during an appearance on Theo Von’s podcast for pushing for a rematch, suggesting that both Diaz and his teammate Chris Avila declined opportunities to face him.
“I guess the concern from you, Nate, was that you wanted me to fight somebody else because I had been inactive for a while,” Thomson said. “I was like, ‘Alright, cool. I’ll take it. Who do you have in mind?’
“Now you’re turning down a fight with me and saying you want an easier fight than me?” Thomson said. “All that west coast gangster sh*t and you guys are over here saying no, you don’t want to fight a 47-year-old who hasn’t fought in seven years. I was laughing. You ain’t gangsters, dude.”
“The Punk” also revealed that a potential path to the rematch involved him first fighting Avila, which could have led to a second clash with Diaz. However, those plans never came together, and Avila was ultimately booked to fight Brandon Jenkins.
The tension between the two UFC veterans dates back to their meeting in April 2013. On that night, Thomson became the first man to stop Diaz, landing a head kick that led to a second-round TKO finish.
