Nate Diaz’s journey to Thailand for a Russian actuality MMA present resulted in basic Stockton type, with a brawl, and a hasty exit. Now, Chael Sonnen, vowing to play the function of worldwide enforcer if issues get dicey once more.
Nate Diaz Brawl in Thailand
Right here’s the scene: Diaz was tapped to teach on “ALF Actuality,” a Russian spin on The Final Fighter, alongside Jon Jones. The present was set in Thailand, the place, based on Diaz’s longtime teammate Jake Shields, the vibe turned hostile earlier than the cameras may even roll. Shields says a fighter named Zalik, pleasant with Jones, began speaking trash to Diaz. Diaz responded with a slap, and a teammate of his escalated issues with a punch. The scenario spiraled, with Shields claiming not simply fighters, however even crew members jumped in. Outnumbered and unimpressed, Diaz, Shields, and their crew determined they’d had sufficient and left the present, quickly heading again to the U.S.
UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones, who stays on the present, described the incident as a case of “play preventing gone fallacious,” noting that Nate Diaz arrived in Thailand already cautious attributable to previous beef with Russian fighters. Jones mentioned, “Play preventing with Nate was not one of the best concept. It turned severe instantly, and we needed to substitute Nate.”
Olympian and former UFC titleholder Daniel Cormier, who was almost a coach on the present himself, mentioned the conflict was virtually inevitable given Nate Diaz’s well-known friction with Russian MMA figures like Khabib Nurmagomedov. Cormier known as the entire thing predictable, given the personalities and historical past concerned.
Chael Sonnen Able to Defend Diaz
Enter Chael Sonnen, by no means one to overlook an opportunity to get in on a combat. Sonnen, reacting to the chaos, mentioned, “This dude appears like a free wire. Nate was cornered to a level. I’m simply letting if that occurs once more, there’s going to be a problem… If that occurs once more, Gilbert [Melendez] and I can be heading out to Thailand to search out out what that was.”
Chael Sonnen’s message is obvious: if Nate Diaz finds himself outnumbered once more, Sonnen and Melendez will hop a flight and kind issues out themselves, presumably with rather less discuss and much more motion.
With Diaz out, the present’s producers are actually scrambling for a substitute coach, whereas the MMA world debates who was at fault and whether or not this was all just a bit too on-brand for Diaz. As for Sonnen, he’s made it clear that if his previous good friend will get cornered once more, Thailand could be seeing a pair extra acquainted faces from the combat sport.