In early May, it was revealed that Nate Diaz and Jon Jones would go head-to-head as coaches on ALF Global. A Russian reality show with a format similar to the UFC’s The Ultimate Fighter. The series pits two high-profile MMA stars against each other as they mentor teams of up-and-coming fighters. However, it now seems that the highly anticipated Diaz vs. Jones coaching clash on ALF Global has been scrapped following a violent altercation on set.

It all kicked off when a Russian fighter named Zalimkhan Yusupov stepped up to Nate Diaz. At first, the atmosphere was tense but under control—fighters were being introduced, trading a few words, striking typical fight poses. Nothing out of the ordinary. But then Yusupov got in Diaz’s face and boldly declared himself a “gangster.”

That was all it took. The Stockton native didn’t hesitate—one slap, then punches flew, and within seconds, the set erupted into absolute chaos. Such was the chaos that the entire crew had to step in to stop the altercation. However, amidst all the chaos, Jon Jones has found himself in the good books of the TUF CEO, Alfredo Auditore.

Auditore took to his Instagram account to share a story for the UFC heavyweight champion. It read as, “A very simple and open person. We’ve already become close friends with him. I didn’t expect him to be like this in real life at all. Legend and number 1 as a person, he is very good and simple.” ‘Bones’ also took the opportunity to show his appreciation for the post. He also reshared the story on his Instagram account.

Nate Diaz’s feud with Team Khabib has deep roots, dating back to the infamous slap incident that sparked years of bad blood. While the tension seemed to cool off after Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement, the rivalry roared back to life at UFC 310.

On Wednesday, word got out that Nate Diaz had left the chaos behind and returned to California, without ever taking part in the reality show. The brawl escalated so quickly and violently that it pulled everyone in the house into the fray. What began as a confrontation spiraled into total mayhem, all unfolding in the heart of Thailand. But who exactly was at fault in the entire situation here? Well, UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has the answer for you.

Jon Jones shares his first hard experience of the infamous brawl on ALF Global

According to Jones, the trouble started when the fighter named Zalik tried to get a little too familiar with Nate Diaz during introductions. Jones explained that Zalik was attempting to playfully engage with Diaz—an ill-advised move, given Nate’s no-nonsense demeanor.

Jake Shields, who was by Diaz’s side and later spoke out in an exclusive video, didn’t hold back his frustration. He called the entire production a disorganized mess. Shields added that after Zalik had a brief conversation with Jones, he then approached Diaz and made the mistake of grabbing him, prompting the UFC veteran to react immediately.

In an interview with Red Corner MMA, Jon Jones reflected on the incident, calling it one of the most surreal moments of his entire MMA career. He described the encounter as being charged with raw aggression and deep-seated hostility—something far beyond the usual intensity of fight promotion. ‘Bones’ said, “Like a martial arts spirit and everything. I don’t think there’s a lot of that here. Some guys are like warriors, and some guys are really just kind of street fighters. There’s insults, there’s weapons, this show — there’s nothing like it. There’s really nothing like it.” Jake Shields also claimed that, rather than being taken off the show, the Russian fighter was allowed back into the same room.

  Who do you think is at fault here? Should Nate Diaz have dealt with the situation a bit better? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.