VIDEO | Din Thomas In-Depth on a Possible Tyron Woodley and Nate Diaz Fight

By Justin Golightly - November 17, 2017

Nate Diaz

After an explosion of speculation and swirling rumors, it was confirmed that a fight between Nate Diaz and Tyron Woodley was in the negotiation stage. Just when things started heating up, suddenly it seemed like the fight wasn’t going to happen. This drop-off prompted the UFC welterweight champ Woodley to air all the dirty laundry. He claims that he’s already signed on the dotted line and publicly addressed the younger Diaz brother about not going through with his end of the deal yet. As we learned more and more about what’s going on, Tyron Woodley’s coach Din Thomas opens up about the whole fight.

“We are talking. We are starting to strategize as far as camp just in case. You know, we’re just staying prepared because nowadays the game isn’t about who’s the best, it’s about just fighting and putting on entertainment for the people. Nothing is a done deal. It’s not signed. As of right now, it’s not going to happen. It could still happen, but it comes down to numbers. Nate Diaz is numbers guy. He’s made a lot of money, he’s got a lot of fame, he’s fighting Conor McGregor, he kind of wants that trilogy with Conor and a fight with Tyron [Woodley] you’d have to assume is maybe a financially a step back. At the end of the day, does Nate want to be the champ? That’s what it comes down to. He’s never been a champion. We’re trying to give him that opportunity to be the champ. It may not do the numbers that he wants money wise like he  wants for Conor. What’s he want like $10 million? So, I could see him wanting to pricing himself out of the fight with Tyron.”

“At the end of the day, Nate is a fighter. This is what we do, we prize fight, so let’s fight. Hopefully Nate does step up and take this fight. It’s about the spectator’s entertainment. That’s what we do. Let’s forget the sport aspect, it’s about entertainment.  What do people want to pay their money to see? If that’s what the game is going to be about, we need to adapt and evolve. Again, this is coming from a man who laid the bricks to make this a legitimate sport. Nate Diaz changed the game with Conor McGregor. It moved the needle. Colby [Covington] doesn’t move the needle. Nate Diaz moves the needle. That’s the fight that makes everyone more money. He’s in that position now where he can have the opportunities to call the shots. I’m hoping it happens, I think it’s 50-50. I think it’s a good possibility that it happens.” — Din Thomas speaking to Mike Pendleton

With nearly every welterweight booked in match-ups, the only one left out is Colby Covington. So, why don’t they make the fight between him and Woodley to push onto UFC 219? Din Thomas claims he’s not a needle mover, at least not yet. Nate Diaz draws more than possibly any of the current guys trying to work their way up to the top. It’s a bonkers fight that makes more cents than sense, but we all knew that when we heard it. The question is though, will we actually get it?

on 11/17/2017.


Topics:

Nate Diaz Tyron Woodley