The Nate Diaz Cut Controversy

By: Jose Ramirez

On November 2, 2019, Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz scrapped for the newly minted BMF (Baddest Mother Fucker) belt- a $50,000 belt with 44 black diamonds and 16 white diamonds laid on murder black leather. Neither fighter held back any punches, but it was Nate Diaz who was the beneficiary of a Masvidal two piece combo that caused several deep cuts to the right side of Nate’s face which ultimately led the (now infamous) New York State Athletic Commission Chief Medical Officer Nitin K. Sethi to stop the fight before the beginning of the 4th round. When asked how bad the upper brow was after Dana White stated that it looked like it was hanging off , Nate Diaz said “He’s full of it, full of it. When he said that to me I looked at my boy and was like it’s the same as every cut…I have the same cut every time. After I fought (Anthony) Pettis, I went back and trained like a week later and I split it right back open, you know what I’m saying, like half way, damn this thing cuts right back open every time.”

We all know Nick and Nate Diaz have massive scar tissue around their eyebrows and just about every one of their fights is a blood bath. What I was curious about was whether or not what Nate Diaz said had any real merit. So I went back. Way back, to 2004.

Before Nate fought Alejandro Garcia October 21, 2004, he had noticeable scar tissue above his right eye. That fight was mostly a grappling affair and Nate made it out without a scratch.

However, on August 27, 2005, Nate faced off against Koji Oishi in Tokyo, Japan in what turned out to be a Pancrase brawl. Nate was clocked several times, knocked down, busted up and opened up right below both eyes in round two. Round 3 Nate had a nice sized cut - guess where - you guessed it! Above his right eye, along the eyebrow. Oishi handed Nate his first loss and his first professional cut.

View Full Fight - Diaz vs Oishi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFS1mc4b0uA

Nate managed to escape damage to his right eye for almost four years after the Oishi fight. Then on April 2, 2008, Nate faced off against Kurt Pellegrino, a huge step in competition. Round one belonged to Pellegrino as he punished Nate from half guard, dropping elbows and fists, splitting open Nate’s right eyebrow. Then in round 2 Nate pulls off one of the most memorable triangle chokes in UFC history, giving the fans the patented Stockton Salute as he suffocated the life out of Kurt Pellegrino. But the damage to Nate’s eye was apparent.

View Full Fight - Diaz vs Pellegrino: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XPox6psDP0

A year and a half later, on September 16, 2009, UFC Fight Night 19, Nate squared off against a game Melvin Guillard in the main event. Guillard put Nate on notice with the second punch, dropping Nate with a vicious right hook. A couple minutes into the fight Melvin got on top and dropped a nasty right elbow, opening up Diaz’ right eyebrow.

View Full Fight - Diaz vs Guillard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8D1vBcGHc8

Another right hook by Guillard opened the right eyebrow more and by now Nate’s face took on the iconic blood-soaked red mask we have grown accustomed to. But if you know anything about Nate Diaz, you know he is one of the most game fighters out there. Nate puts up his hands like “what’s up” and goes to work, stalking his prey. A doctor actually examined Nate’s right eye, but Nate had the best in the business by his side, Jacob “Stitch” Duran, working the cut - all good. You can actually hear Nate’s corner saying “Main event, man, its fine. It’s main event, let it go!” Round 2 both came out swinging and kicking, but Melvin became a bit too comfortable with the grappling game, tying up Diaz. After getting loose, Nate clocked Melvin with a hard left, sending Melvin to the cage. Guillard tried to take Nate down and ended up in a tight guillotine, tapping out to Nate’s squeeze. Nate came out on top, but it was clear that the right eyebrow would be a concern in the future.

On August 28, 2010, Marcus Davis opened up a cut on Nate’s right cheek end of round 1. By the end of round 2, Marcus Davis’ right side of his face looked like a beaten pulp. The assault by Nate was too much and Nate submitted Davis with a guillotine choke. Nate managed to leave the fight with just a small cut and some bruising.

Nate would be opened up again April 30, 2013 by Josh Thomson in the second round by what appeared to be an elbow in the clinch. A couple more push off elbows by Thomson opened up the cut more. Thomson was too much for Nate that night and Thomson got the KO in the 2nd.

Rafael dos Anjos re-opened the cut above Nate’s right eyebrow December 13, 2014 in round 2 with a nasty left straight. Dos Anjos was in Nate’s guard and started dropping left elbows on Nate’s head. Nate’s face was painted red.

Then there was the fight that made Nate rich… McGregor v. Diaz I. March 5, 2016. OH MY GOD. Nate took on Conor McGregor at 170lb and was it an entertaining fight! But for our purposes, this fight is important because of the damage Nate sustained.

Conor is a southpaw and the right side of Nate’s face was a natural target for Conor’s left fist. Conor landed several overhand lefts that opened up Nate’s right eyebrow. It was a significant cut going into round 2. Round 2 Conor was gassed, started taking punches, went for a takedown and got choked from behind. After the fight, Nate was medically suspended for 45 days for the laceration over his right eye.

Several months later, McGregor and Diaz would rematch at 155lbs. Diaz would be opened up again, this time the right cheek and nose bridge.

August 17, 2019, Pettis v. Diaz at UFC 241, Pettis opened up a nasty gash above Nate’s right eye in the 2nd round. Even though Nate won, he was awarded a mandatory medical suspension for seven days; also suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact (no exception) for hard bout; and suspended 60 days with 60 days no contact for right eye laceration.

Then November 2, 2019 gave us this masterpiece:

Masvidal wanted to run it back because he didn’t leave Nate unconscious. I don’t know about you, but this is the culmination of over a decade of punishment and abuse all in one canvas. Masvidal painted a masterpiece, if you will, on Nate’s face with several artfully placed punches and kicks.

It appears that after 15 years of fighting, Nate Diaz’ right eyebrow and cheek have taken insurmountable damage to where Nate needs to ask himself, is it time to hang it up? Not due to skill, we all know he is one of the baddest motherfuckers at 155 and 170. But due to scar tissue. This last injury was nasty, and some went so far as to call in death threats to the doctor that potentially saved Nate’s vision in his right eye. If you look through the cuts over time, they have gotten worse, and Nate isn’t getting any younger. I would love for Masvidal and Diaz to run it back, but I wonder if the scar tissue is too much for Diaz. He’s jumped those hurdles before, but how much damage does he need to take before it’s time to move on?