Nate Diaz Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Curious About Nate Diaz’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $8 million, Nate Diaz is a professional mixed martial artist under contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Before claiming victory in the fifth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” he competed in World Extreme Cagefighting, Pancrase, and Strikeforce.

Diaz has spent 15 years in the UFC, earning himself 16 UFC bonus awards. His fame skyrocketed after his March 2016 win over Conor McGregor, solidifying his reputation as a formidable and resilient fighter. Although he narrowly lost their rematch later that year, it showcased his unwavering determination.

Throughout his career, Diaz has taken on top fighters like Benson Henderson, Gray Maynard, and Rafael dos Anjos. Known for his striking prowess, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expertise, and fearless fighting style, he has garnered several Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night accolades for his exceptional performances in the octagon.

Diaz is the younger sibling of former welterweight champion and current UFC fighter Nick Diaz.

Details on Conor McGregor Fight Earnings

Reports indicate that Nate Diaz made $2 million for participating in the Conor McGregor fight. He also pocketed $250,000 from a Reebok sponsorship, $50,000 for the fight of the night bonus, and $150,000 for appearing at an after-party. Crucially, he earned a share of the PPV revenue, which amounted to $10.5 million. In total, Diaz raked in $13 million that night, while Conor earned $15 million.

Early Life and Career Origins

Born in 1985 into a Mexican-American family in Stockton, California, Nate Diaz began training in martial arts at 11 with his older brother Nick. During his teenage years, he attended Tokay High School in Lodi, California.

Diaz kicked off his professional fighting journey primarily in World Extreme Cagefighting. His first victory in 2004 was against Alejandro Garcia. Two years later, he fought for the WEC Lightweight Championship but was defeated by Hermes França. Apart from WEC, Diaz also showcased his skills in Pancrase and Strikeforce.

Debut on “The Ultimate Fighter 5”

In 2007, Diaz made his UFC debut on the fifth season of the reality show “The Ultimate Fighter.” Competing in the lightweight division, he was part of Jens Pulver’s team. Diaz triumphed over Rob Emerson in the preliminary round and bested Gray Maynard in the quarterfinals. He clinched the win in the finals against Manvel Gamburyan via submission after Gamburyan was injured.

Entry into the UFC

Following his victory on “The Ultimate Fighter,” Diaz began his UFC journey by defeating opponents like Alvin Robinson and Junior Assunção. Seeking tougher challengers, he faced Kurt Pellegrino at UFC Fight Night 13 and emerged victorious with a triangle-choke submission. Diaz continued his winning streak by overcoming Josh Neer at UFC Fight Night 15. However, his first UFC loss came in 2009 against Clay Guida at UFC 94. Salvaging his record, he sealed a submission victory over Melvin Guillard with a guillotine choke at UFC Fight Night 19.

In 2010, after a series of losses, Diaz moved up a weight class. His welterweight debut against Rory Markham at UFC 111, changed to a catchweight match, ended in a first-round TKO victory. Diaz expanded his horizons by fighting in both weight classes, scoring a win over Marcus Davis via guillotine choke submission at UFC 118.

Continuing UFC Journey

In early 2011, Diaz faced setbacks against Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald, but rebounded by defeating Takanori Gomi at UFC 135 later in the year. His remarkable performance against Donald Cerrone at UFC 141 marked a high point in his UFC career. Diaz’s victory over Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 3 with a rolling guillotine choke stood out as another exceptional match. However, Diaz was removed from the UFC’s lightweight rankings in May 2014 due to inactivity.

Diaz returned to the octagon in December 2014 against Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC on Fox 13, albeit missing weight and incurring a fine. A year later, in December 2015, he defeated Michael Johnson by unanimous decision. The following year, he secured a submission win against Conor McGregor at UFC 196, marking his ninth submission victory in the UFC, tied for second-most all time.

Intriguing Moments

Throughout his UFC career, Nate Diaz has stirred controversy with his occasionally impulsive and provocative actions. In 2013, the UFC suspended him for 90 days and fined him $20,000 for using a homophobic slur on Twitter.

In 2015, he made headlines for a profanity-laden post-fight interview on live TV, where he called out Conor McGregor.

At a 2016 post-fight press conference, Diaz ran afoul of USADA regulations by using a CBD vape pen within four hours of his fight. Despite this breach, as CBD isn’t classified as a performance-enhancing substance, he faced no penalties. Subsequently, USADA removed the compound from its list of banned substances.

In April 2023, footage emerged of Nate rendering a man unconscious in New Orleans.

Accolades and Achievements

Throughout his career, Diaz has earned numerous Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night bonuses. He has also been recognized with awards like Knockout of the Night and Performance of the Night. In 2016, his fight against Conor McGregor earned him the World MMA Award for Submission of the Year.

With seven submission wins, Diaz is tied with Jim Miller for the most submissions in the UFC Lightweight division. Similarly, he shares the record for most Fight of the Night bonuses with Frankie Edgar, each boasting eight.

Personal Side

In 2012, Diaz was awarded his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from the Cesar Gracie training facility in Pleasant Hill, California. Together with his brother, Diaz operates a Brazilian jiu-jitsu school in Stockton, California, known as Nick.The Diaz brothers, founders of Diaz Academy, have ventured into the CBD industry with Game Up Nutrition and partnered with California Finest for a licensed line of marijuana pre-rolls.

Nate Diaz, along with his girlfriend Misty Brown, has a daughter named Nikayla.