The Dana White, Nate Diaz feud has been finally addressed after outspoken UFC President tackled the issue regarding the younger Diaz's removal from the lightweight rankings. The statement was made after a back-and-forth exchange of words ensued.
"Nate Diaz is in this position where he's turning down fights, hasn't accepted any fights, has been inactive, and we don't know how long he's going to be inactive," the UFC President said in an interview with UFC Tonight regarding the Dana White, Nate Diaz feud. "So you take him off the rankings. When he comes in and fights his next fight, they'll rank him again after his fight."
Nate Diaz along with fellow lightweight T.J. Grant, were taken off the rankings, mainly due to inactivity. The 29-year old Stockton, California native last fought in November 2013, against Gray Maynard at the Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale, wherein he won via first round TKO.
Since then, Nate Diaz has been in a dispute with Dana White and Zuffa management due to his dissatisfaction with his salary. He even went on to have him cut off his existing UFC contract, which of course, the management disapproved of.
In the middle of the Dana White, Nate Diaz feud, the UFC President returned fire by using former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz as an example.
Dominic Cruz was also stripped off his title for being unable to defend it for an entire year due to an injury.
"Everybody's talking about Nate Diaz being removed. So was TJ Grant. TJ Grant was removed too, for inactivity," White said. "Early on, we let (Cruz) hold the title and stay in the rankings for as long as we did. It's unfair to the guys who are active."
As of the moment, it seems like the Dana White-Nate Diaz verbal clash will not be over soon. As a matter of fact, White has already been vocal about how he is slowly being fed up with the former number one lightweight contender.
"I don't know how long we're going to play this game, but there's no sense in hurting the other fighters that are staying active and working their way up in the rankings, for a guy who's inactive and we don't know when he's going to fight again," White continued. "He's still under contract."
