As the UFC launches its first numbered event under the Paramount deal, Nate Diaz’s last-minute predictions landed with the kind of casual confidence only he can pull off. No overanalysis, just loyalty, vibes, and a little chaos.

Speaking with Paramount UFC, Diaz kicked things off by backing Rose Namajunas, who now faces Natália Silva after Alexa Grasso’s withdrawal. “I’m going Namajunas, that’s the home girl, and she always fights great, entertaining fighter. It’s gonna be good to see her do her thing,” Diaz said.

Next came the heavyweights. No hesitation here. “Oh, Derrick Lewis is my guy, I’m going Derrick Lewis. We’ll see what happens, though. Good luck to both of them,” Diaz said, picking Lewis over Waldo Cortes-Acosta. With Lewis still owning the UFC’s knockout record, it’s a pick rooted in one thing fans and fighters value deeply: finishing potential.

The bantamweight clash between Sean O’Malley and Song Yadong drew a more nuanced answer. Diaz acknowledged the Team Alpha Male connection but leaned personal.

“Yadong is training out in Sacramento by me, shout out to Team Alpha Male, but Sean O’Malley is my guy too, so I think Sean O’Malley might pull it. We’ll see what happens,” he said. That “might” felt deliberate with respect going both ways, but loyalty broke the tie.

Then came the main event for the interim lightweight gold between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. Diaz didn’t overthink it.

“Gaethje and Paddy. Paddy, baby, let’s go. I think he’s gonna pi– him off and be obnoxious in there. I like Paddy. Let’s see Paddy do his thing,” Diaz said, grinning through the words. This is not a surprising pick, considering Diaz and Gaethje’s verbal standoffs on social media over the years.

It all started with Diaz’s evaluation of Gaethje’s loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254. Gaethje’s respone wasn’t kind either. Then last year, Diaz went on Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson’s podcast and went off on Gaethje and Bo Nickal for calling him out when he’s been much longer in the game than either of them.

With bigger bonuses, a new broadcast era, and Nate Diaz stirring the pot one last time before the cage doors close, UFC 324 already feels unpredictable. And in the middle of that chaos sits Rose Namajunas, quietly chasing something far bigger than a single win.

Rose Namajunas confirms title shot against Valentina Shevchenko up next with a win over Natália Silva

Nearly four years removed from her reign at strawweight, ‘Thug Rose’ now stands on the edge of a rare opportunity. At 33, she’s reinvented herself at flyweight, going 3–2 since moving up in 2023 with wins over Tracy Cortez, Amanda Ribas, and Miranda Maverick.

Now the division’s No. 2 contender is in her sights, and according to Namjunas, the stakes couldn’t be clearer. Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Namajunas revealed the message she received from UFC officials: a win earns her a title shot. That title belongs to Valentina Shevchenko. And that’s where things get complicated.

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According to her, “I would love to have a conversation about it and talk with her first and everything like that. She’s somebody that inspired me and that I’ve looked up to. It would definitely be conflicting emotions, but at the same time, I’m down to do it. I also understand if there’d be second thoughts or if it would be kind of weird.”

The matchup has hovered in the background for years. For a while, Alexa Grasso’s title run delayed the possibility. But since Shevchenko reclaimed the belt in 2024, that bridge has come back into view.

Namajunas then explained that fighting Shevchenko would be emotionally difficult because she genuinely admires her and considers her her favorite female fighter. At the same time, she sees the matchup as the ultimate test of her own skills, since facing someone she views, along with Amanda Nunes, as one of the greatest female fighters ever, would represent the highest challenge of her career.

So, Nate Diaz may have thrown his support behind familiar faces, yet his message to “Thug Rose” landed at the perfect moment, right as she stands one win away from redefining her career. A victory over Natália Silva wouldn’t just validate her flyweight run; it would set up a deeply personal, legacy-defining clash with Valentina Shevchenko!