Nate Diaz Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Nate Diaz’s Net Worth: What Is It?

With a net worth of $8 million, Nate Diaz stands out as a professional mixed martial artist affiliated with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Before rising to fame on the fifth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” he fought in organizations like World Extreme Cagefighting, Pancrase, and Strikeforce. Diaz spent 15 years competing in the UFC, accumulating a total of 16 UFC bonus awards.

One of his most significant achievements includes defeating Conor McGregor in March 2016, where he secured a submission win in the second round. This victory not only made Diaz widely recognized but also reinforced his reputation as one of the UFC’s most skilled and relentless fighters. Although he lost the rematch against McGregor later that year in a closely contested bout, it highlighted his tenacity and fighting spirit.

Throughout his career, Diaz has encountered other elite fighters, including Benson Henderson, Gray Maynard, and Rafael dos Anjos. He is celebrated for his striking skills, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expertise, and his bold fighting style. Additionally, Diaz has earned numerous Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night accolades, recognizing his remarkable performances within the octagon.

As the younger sibling of former welterweight champion and current UFC fighter Nick Diaz, he also has notable pedigree in the sport.

Earnings from the Conor McGregor Fight

Reports indicate that Nate received $2 million just for his appearance in the fight against Conor McGregor. He also garnered $250,000 from a Reebok sponsorship, $50,000 as the fight of the night bonus, and $150,000 for attending an after-party. Most significantly, he earned a portion of the PPV revenue, which totaled around $10.5 million. In total, Nate made $13 million that night, while Conor earned $15 million.

Career Beginnings and Early Life

Nate Diaz was born in 1985 in Stockton, California, into a Mexican-American family. He has an older brother, Nick, with whom he began martial arts training at the age of 11. During his teenage years, Diaz attended Tokay High School in Lodi, California.

Diaz embarked on his professional fighting journey primarily with World Extreme Cagefighting. He marked his debut in 2004 with a victory over Alejandro Garcia. However, he faced a setback two years later when he attempted to claim the WEC Lightweight Championship but lost to Hermes França in the second round. Aside from the WEC, Diaz also competed in Pancrase and Strikeforce.

Making a Mark in “The Ultimate Fighter 5”

In 2007, Diaz made his entrance into the Ultimate Fighting Championship on the reality television series “The Ultimate Fighter,” which showcased only lightweights. Representing Jens Pulver’s team, he triumphed over Rob Emerson in the preliminary round and overcame Gray Maynard in the quarterfinals. In the finals, Diaz faced Manvel Gamburyan and secured a victory by submission after Gamburyan had to tap out due to an injury.

Beginning His UFC Career

Following his success on “The Ultimate Fighter,” Diaz quickly made an impact in the UFC, defeating opponents like Alvin Robinson and Junior Assunção. However, seeking more formidable challenges, he faced Kurt Pellegrino at UFC Fight Night 13, where he won with a triangle-choke submission. He then obtained another victory against Josh Neer at UFC Fight Night 15. In 2009, Diaz experienced his first defeat in the UFC against Clay Guida at UFC 94 but bounced back as the headliner at UFC Fight Night 19, submitting Melvin Guillard with a guillotine choke.

After three losses in four fights in 2010, Diaz opted to move up in weight class. He went on to makeHis debut in the welterweight division took place at UFC 111 where he faced Rory Markham; however, after weigh-ins, the match was shifted to a catchweight bout. In the first round, Diaz secured a victory by TKO. Following this, he made the decision to compete in both weight classes. At UFC 118, he faced Marcus Davis in a welterweight fight and won by choking him out with a guillotine choke submission.

Further UFC Career

Diaz faced losses in early 2011 against Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald. However, later that year, he rebounded by defeating PRIDE Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi at UFC 135. He achieved another significant win at UFC 141 against Donald Cerrone, showcasing one of his best performances to date. Another remarkable moment came at UFC on Fox 3, where he defeated Jim Miller with a rolling guillotine choke. In May 2014, after remaining inactive, Diaz was taken out of the UFC’s lightweight rankings.

After a hiatus, Diaz made his return to fighting in December 2014 against Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC on Fox 13. Unfortunately, he missed weight and was penalized 20% of his purse, which went to Anjos. Diaz remained inactive for another year, returning in December 2015 to triumph over Michael Johnson by unanimous decision. The following year, he fought and conquered Conor McGregor at UFC 196, achieving his ninth submission victory in the UFC, which ties him for the second-most all-time.

Controversies

Nate Diaz’s UFC career has been marked by some controversies stemming from his impulsive and incendiary actions. In 2013, he was suspended for 90 days and fined $20,000 for posting a homophobic slur on Twitter.

In 2015, he gained attention for a coarse post-fight interview on live television, where he called out Conor McGregor.

At a post-fight press conference in 2016, Diaz broke the USADA rule by using a CBD vape pen less than four hours post-fight. However, since CBD is not classified as a performance-enhancing substance, he faced no penalties. USADA later removed the substance from its list of banned items.

In April 2023, a video surfaced showing Nate choking an individual unconscious on the streets of New Orleans.

Honors and Distinctions

Throughout his professional career, Diaz has garnered multiple Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night bonuses. He has also earned accolades for Knockout of the Night and Performance of the Night. In 2016, he was recognized with the World MMA Award for Submission of the Year for his match against Conor McGregor.

With seven submission wins in the UFC Lightweight division, Diaz shares the record for most submission wins with Jim Miller. Furthermore, he is tied with Frankie Edgar for the most Fight of the Night bonuses, totaling eight.

Personal Life

In 2012, Diaz received his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from Cesar Gracie’s training center in Pleasant Hill, California. Together with his brother, Diaz operates a Brazilian jiu-jitsu school in Stockton, California, known as Nick Diaz Academy. The Diaz brothers have also launched a CBD business called Game Up Nutrition and have collaborated with California Finest for a licensed line of marijuana pre-rolls.

Diaz shares a daughter named Nikayla with his girlfriend Misty Brown.