The promotion dropped a bombshell of an announcement with the return of Nate Diaz taking on Leon Edwards in the co-main event at the UFC 262 event.
The news was first reported by ESPN’s Ariel Helwani. In addition to the bout announcement, it was also reported that the fight will be the first co-main non-title fight in UFC history. Not only that, but the bout will serve under the Chandler vs. Oliveira title fight and of course in front of a packed arena in Houston, Texas.
Nate Diaz will return against Leon Edwards in the co-main event of UFC 262 on May 15, sources told @arielhelwani.
It will be the first five-round non-title co-main event in UFC history. pic.twitter.com/kUXHzGi60P
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 31, 2021
Nate Diaz Is Back Against Leon Edwards With A Full Crowd For UFC 262
The fight will go down on April 15. After Edwards’ unfortunate eye-poke incident with Belal Muhammad, many were surprised to hear of the fight materializing so quickly. However, the English-native is overdue after so many opportunities were lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to the no-contest with Muhammad, Edwards was riding an 8-fight win streak. Overall, Edwards’ striking style is perplexing for most opponents that mix it up with him. The Englishman has wins over notable UFC staples like Donald Cerrone and Rafael dos Anjos.
While Nate Diaz has been out for a while, he is a problem standing for any athlete. Diaz is a volume fighter with a seemingly endless gas tank. The bout garners tons of intrigue because both athletes prefer to keep the fight standing. So, fans can expect a banger, especially since Diaz likes to pour on the volume in the later rounds of the fight.
With the massive addition of Nate Diaz vs. Leon Edwards, here is an up-to-date list of fights scheduled for the UFC 262 pay-per-view:
- Michael Chandler vs. Charles Oliveira
- Nate Diaz vs. Leon Edwards
- Beneil Dariush vs. Tony Ferguson
- Jamie Pickett vs. Jordan Wright
- Priscila Cachoeira vs. Gina Mazany
- Viviane Araujo vs. Katlyn Chookagian
- Alex Perez vs. Matt Schnell
- Andrea Lee vs. Antonina Shevchenko
- Edson Barboza vs. Shane Burgos
- Jack Hermansson vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
- Joel Alvarez vs. Christo Giagos
- Andre Muniz vs. Ronaldo Souza
- Rafael Alves vs. Damir Ismagulov
Do you think Nate Diaz will bounce back after his loss to Jorge Masvidal? Let us know below who your pick is!
