It’s safe to say by now that Nate Diaz has a penchant for keeping us on our toes. The Stockton-born and raised UFC legend, just a few days ago, sent a mysterious message to the world of combat sports when he wrote, “Alcatraz..” on his X account, leaving fans wondering what’s about to happen in his career next?

His last appearance in the UFC was back in September 2022, when he submitted Tony Ferguson at UFC 279. In his latest combat ventures, we saw the BJJ black belt compete in the boxing ring. In his debut, he lost to Jake Paul in August 2023, and then in July 2024, he redeemed his boxing debut loss and avenged his BMF UFC loss against Jorge Masvidal after securing a decision victory in his second boxing bout. He last fought in July 2024, and entering 2025, it looks like he has something big planned for us, as he has dropped one more message.

In a candid interview, Diaz laid down his condition for his potential return to UFC, saying: “Well, everybody’s boring right now, so I’m trying to do other sh*t for the moment, but I want to go back and get a UFC title… I don’t want to fight for nothing, you know I want to fight for something.” And today, on his Instagram, he posted a picture of himself training with his boxing coach Richard Perez. As Nate Diaz wrote: “See you soon.” Could this mean he is returning to the Octagon? Or is he looking to cement his name in the boxing ring, too?

Active or not, Nate Diaz is a household name no matter where he goes. It is no joke, the kind of drawing power he has, from. a fighter with a cult following to a global superstar since his victory over Conor McGregor. Since then, his popularity has sky-rocketed even if his fight record hasn’t been able to keep up. Upon his boxing debut against Paul, UFC CEO and President Dana White was so impressed that he even stated: “The UFC will always be his house.”

But is it the right call for Diaz to return to fighting again? He might be able to take punches and probably dish out a couple itself. But it’s pretty evident that he cannot do it at a high level anymore. Aged 39, Diaz’ last few performances have left many concerned about the fighter’s future and whether he should do it again.

Nate Diaz hints at a potential return. Is it the right call for his well-being?

If you sit and think about it, there isn’t an aspect where Nate Diaz hasn’t delivered. Great fights? Check. Trash-talking? Check. Entertaining? Check. the list goes on and on, which is the reason why promoters cannot ignore what Diaz brings to a fight card. But one thing that catches up to everyone, is time. And at an age where most hang up their gloves for good, it isn’t wrong to say Diaz should do the same.

During his fight against Jake Paul, Diaz was visibly exhausted in the later rounds, something we have rarely seen from the fighter before. If that was not concerning enough, the Stockton-raised mixed martial artist, famous for his brawls and exchanges, couldn’t seem to get into his act as he took way too much damage and had no significant reply to give to the ‘The Problem Child’. He was even knocked down in their fight, which is one of the rarest thing to happen in a Diaz fight.

Nate Diaz, across his career, has been a subject of massive damage across his violence-filled bouts with many UFC legends like Conor McGregor and Jorge Masvidal to name a few. With his feet in the sport for more than a decade now, Diaz has already established an unforgettable legacy for himself. A return to either boxing or MMA can prove lethal to this legacy of his.

There is no denying the star power of Nate Diaz, but a poorly executed return can do him more harm than good. If strategically planned, we may just be lucky enough to witness a Nate Diaz classic. What do you think the future holds for Nate Diaz? Let us know in the comments.