Dana White optimistic about new Nate Diaz UFC contract, but Diaz mentioning retirement again

UFC president Dana White is optimistic about Nate Diaz staying with the promotion for the foreseeable future. But Diaz might have a different idea.

Diaz has just one fight left on his UFC contract. Furthermore, Diaz last month implored White to book his “retirement fight” with Dustin Poirier as soon as possible. And Sunday, Diaz hit that note again with a social media post.

“I’m ready to fight my last fight,” Diaz posted on <a href=" I got shit to do " Saturday, after UFC 272 in Las Vegas, White was feeling good about his future working with Diaz. When asked the likelihood of Diaz signing a new deal before his next fight, White answered with two simple words. "Very good," White told reporters at the UFC 272 post-fight news conference. That was it. Nothing further. And so the plot thickens with regard to Diaz's future after his second mention of a retirement fight. His older bother, former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz, seemed conflicted about continuing on with his MMA career after losing to Robbie Lawler last September in his first fight in more than six years.

It’s unclear what the hold up has been to book Nate Diaz against Poirier, as both men have expressed interest in fighting each other. They were supposed to meet in November 2018 at UFC 230, but Poirier withdrew because of an injury roughly one month away.

Diaz, one the UFC’s most popular fighters, has lost two fights in a row, most recently dropping a unanimous decision to Leon Edwards last June at UFC 263.