UFC lightweight Brandon Royval shares his thoughts on Nate Diaz and Islam Makhachev's water bottle showdown
UFC legend Nate Diaz has never been one to shy away from controversy. Whether in the octagon or behind the scenes, he always seems to find a way to find himself in the middle of an altercation.
During UFC 310 fight week, a video circulated showing Nate Diaz in a showdown with UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. The latter and Diaz engaged in a water bottle fight, reminiscent of the famous UFC 202 press conference where McGregor and Diaz exchanged water projectiles.
Diaz was there to support teammate Kron Gracie, who was scheduled to face Bryce Mitchell in the main event. Makhachev and Diaz's teams crossed paths during the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-in.
After being separated by security, both parties began throwing water bottles at each other. Considering Diaz's past, one could easily imagine that he was the originator of this fight.
However, UFC heavyweight Brandon Royval was there and has since shared a detailed account of the situation.
Brandon Royval's opinion
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Brandon Royval explained what happened during the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-in:
“Diaz was walking next to me when a bottle of water passed over my head. This is what people didn't see! It wasn't Diaz who threw the first bottle, but it was thrown at him… Diaz turned around and they attacked him. I knew exactly who threw the bottle! It was [Tagir Ulanbekov]I turned around and saw it… It was just a bad throw! I swear Nate didn't start this s***. The video shows Nate throwing the first bottle, but someone didn’t record the fact that someone attacked him first.”
Royval therefore defended the UFC veteran, instead pointing the finger at fellow lightweight, Tagir Ulanbekov. Makhachev and Diaz have a shared past, with Diaz having previously had several altercations with Makhachev's teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Ultimately, the two never had the opportunity to cross paths in the octagon, with Khabib retiring in 2021 and Diaz walking away from the organization in 2022. Díaz completed his contract before moving on towards boxing, facing Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal.
After losing to Paul and beating Masvidal, Diaz hinted at a possible return to the UFC, but no official announcement has been made until now.
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As part of discussions around rivalry in MMA, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of the context surrounding the athletes. Whether through historic rivalries or recent incidents, everyone has their role in the dynamic narrative of this sport. As a potential reunion in the octagon approaches, fans may wonder how these tensions will continue to shape the future of competition.
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