To expand its audience, the UFC embraced regulation by state athletic commissions across the country, forced out street-fight clothing for new Reebok uniforms and limited favors for hardened fighters like Nate Diaz.
“They pick and choose who they want, and I think I was a little politically incorrect,” Diaz said this week while training for his Saturday main-event rematch against Conor McGregor in UFC 202 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “I wasn’t the person they wanted to market.”
At least, that was the case before the unexpected turn of events that puts Diaz, 31, in his second headline card in less than six months against McGregor, one of UFC’s most popular draws.
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“The biggest fight going on in the world right now is a result of my experience in fighting and understanding the game, because I know a lot of fighters and I’ve been sitting here dissecting it for years,” Diaz (20-10) said.
While studying UFC promotion and action on television during two separate year-long hiatuses in the past three years, Diaz noted how the sharp-tongued wit of Ireland’s McGregor eased his rise through the rankings, and how other fighters made sacrifices to help grow the UFC brand.
Life had already put Nate Diaz in his place, though, so the Stockton fighter was resistant to following the directions of his bosses.
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Along with his sister, Nina, and older brother, Nick, Diaz navigated a poor, single-mother childhood, scraping for whatever food, love and education could be gathered.
Jujitsu training provided all three. Nick was the first to take up mixed martial arts and Nate followed him into the gym.
A solid boxer, Nate won the reality television series, “The Ultimate Fighter 5” to claim a guaranteed UFC contract in 2007, won five submission-of-the-night bonuses en route to a 2012 lightweight title shot, then lost to Benson Henderson.
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Conor McGregor, left, and Nate Diaz exchange punches during their welterweight fight at UFC 196 on March 5. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times )
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Nate Diaz takes down Conor McGregor during their non-title welterweight bout at UFC 196 in Las Vegas on March 5. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times )
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Nate Diaz grapples with Conor McGregor during their welterweight bout at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Nate Diaz takes down Conor McGregor during their UFC 196 fight on Saturday night.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Nate Diaz celebrates his win over Conor McGregor at UFC 196 on March 5. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Nate Diaz celebrates his win over Conor McGregor after their non-title welterweight fight at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Miesha Tate goes for a single-leg takedown against Holly Holm during their women’s bantamweight title bout at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Holly Holm, bottom, tries to fend off Miesha Tate during their women’s bantamweight title fight at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Holly Holm lands a big left against Miesha Tate during their UFC 196 women’s bantamweight championship fight.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Holly Holm, left, and Miesha Tate trade kicks during their women’s bantamweight title fight at UFC 196 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Miesha Tate takes down Holly Holm during their UFC 196 women’s bantamweight title fight. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Miesha Tate sinks the chokehold on Holly Holm that led to a submission in the fifth round of their women’s bantamweight championship fight at UFC 196 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Miesha Tate springs to her feet after defeating Holly Holm by submission in the women’s bantamweight championship fight at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Miesha Tate celebrates after defeating Holly Holm at UFC 196 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Gian Villante, left, tries to block a kick by Ilir Latifi during their bout at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Gian Villante, left, and Ilir Latifi grapple during their light-heavyweight fight at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Gian Villante, left, tries to prevent a takedown by Ilir Latifi during their light-heavyweight fight at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Valentina Shevchenko tries to land a knee against Amanda Nunes during their women’s bantamweight fight at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Valentina Shevchenko, left, sends Amanda Nunes reeling during their UFC 196 women’s bantamweight bout.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Valentina Shevchenko, left, tries to fend off the attack by Amanda Nunes in a women’s bantamweight bout at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Amanda Nunes has the upper hand during her UFC 196 bout against Valentina Shevchenko.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Amanda Nunes, left, has a kick blocked by Valentina Shevchenko during their UFC 196 women’s bantamweight fight.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Valentina Shevchenko, right, lands a right during her UFC 196 bout against Amanda Nunes.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Valentina Shevchenko, bloody face and all, is ready for more action during her UFC 196 women’s bantamweight fight against Amanda Nunes.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Valentina Shevchenko was able to fend off the attacks by Amanda Nunes to win the women’s bantamweight bout by unanimous decision at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Corey Anderson, left, lands an overhand right against Tom Lawlor during UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Corey Anderson works from the top against Tom Lawlor during their light-heavyweight bout at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Corey Anderson, left, and Tom Lawlor trade blows during their light-heavyweight bout at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Corey Anderson takes down Tom Lawlor during their light-heavyweight fight at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Corey Anderson completes a takedown agianst Tom Lawlor during their UFC 196 fight.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Corey Anderson raises his arms after defeating Tom Lawlor in a light-heavyweight bout at UFC 196.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Brandon Thatch punches Siyar Bahadurzada during their bout at UFC 196.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Brandon Thatch lands a kick against Siyar Bahadurzada during their UFC 196 bout.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Siyar Bahadurzada celebrates after defeating Brandon Thatch during UFC 196.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Vitor Miranda kicks Marcelo Guimaraes during their UFC 196 bout.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Marcelo Guimaraes, left, and Vitor Miranda trade punches in the middle of the octagon during their UFC 196 bout.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Nordine Taleb celebrates after defeating Erick Silva at UFC 196 on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Darren Elkins (top) slams Chas Skelly to the canvas during their UFC 196 bout on Saturday night.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Diego Sanchez, left, follows through after punching Jim Miller during their bout at UFC 196.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Jim Miller lands a kick against Diego Sanchez during their UFC 196 bout in Las Vegas.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Julian Erosa attempts a kick against Teruto Ishihara during their bout at UFC 196.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Teruto Ishihara sends Julian Erosa to the canvas before winning by a technical knockout in the second round of their UFC 196 bout.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
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Jason Saggo celebrates after defeating Justin Salas at UFC 196.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
Another defeat followed and after a victory in late 2013, Diaz took a year off before returning to lose to eventual champion Rafael dos Anjos and skip another year.
The Diaz brothers built a loyal fan base, but the anti-authoritarian attitude they showed in pressing for better purses and Nate’s coarse language and behavior in the octagon were tough for UFC executives to tolerate.
Not only has Nate accused everyone in the UFC of being on steroids, but he also ripped Saturday undercard fighter Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone for so being so eager to volunteer for several openings.
“Treat yourself like a business and quit [saying] ‘I’ll fight for free,’” Diaz told MMA reporter Ariel Helwani. “That don’t help nobody. Why wouldn’t they pay us? Because they’ve got dumb [people] like you fighting for free.”
Diaz was mired in the holding pattern of a top-10 lightweight ranking when in late February he was asked to replace an injured dos Anjos as McGregor’s March 5 opponent in the main event of UFC 196.
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McGregor, the featherweight champion, agreed to move up from his 145-pound weight class and fight Diaz at 170.
McGregor was still the betting favorite, but in the octagon Diaz clearly landed the heavier punches and McGregor submitted in the second round.
McGregor-Diaz was the bestselling pay-per-view in UFC history.
Their Saturday rematch is generating plenty of attention. And it’s not only because of the charismatic McGregor, but also the veteran Diaz’s defiant attitude that resonates with fans.
“I don’t think [the UFC] realized I was the best market they could’ve got,” Diaz said. “I’m the definition of a real fighter. Now that they’ve stumbled upon me, it’s like, ‘Oh, [wow], maybe we should’ve been marketing him the whole time.’ ”
“I didn’t come from a wrestling background, or any background. If not for this, I’d be walking the streets. From where I’ve come from, I shouldn’t have even made it,” Diaz said.
