Nate Diaz described as the ‘scariest street fighter in MMA’ – even better than Khabib Nurmagomedov – who never lost a street fight in Dagestan

Firas Zahabi has described Nate Diaz as ‘the scariest street fighter in MMA’, even more so than former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Diaz may not have a particularly glamorous record, losing 13 times thus far in his career, yet his reputation as a fan favourite remains.

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Despite losing 24 minutes of his welterweight clash with Leon Edwards at UFC 263, the Stockton-native was just moments away from a finish.

The crisp left hand which rocked Edwards should have signalled victory for the American, yet he posed and pointed to revel in the moment as blood gushed from multiple scars on his face and body.

Diaz is more than a cult icon, transcending the sport of MMA because of such moments and the legendary coach of Georges St-Pierre believes there is no one in the sport who could stop Diaz without rules.

“If you put him in a fight where there is no time limit, I think he beats 99 per cent of fighters,” Zahabi said. “You can’t sub him. You can’t finish him.

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“The guy doesn’t stop walking forward. He puts volume on you. He is the scariest, in my opinion, street fighter in MMA.

“I think if you had to fight him in the street, man, you are in a fight for your life. Ain’t going to be no judges standing you up between rounds.

“There’s no judge to come and give you the win. No, no. This guy ain’t going away.

“I think if he had a no time limit fight with Leon Edwards, he beats Leon Edwards – and I have a tremendous admiration for Leon Edwards.”

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Prior to his scrapped bout with Tony Ferguson in 2020, Khabib was visibly stung by a barb from ‘El Cucuy’ when he insisted he had never had a street fight.

The Russian, who hails from the notorious Dagestan region, wrestled bears as a child and claimed he had never lost a fight in the street.

Islam Makhachev likened his friend Khabib to Brad Pitt’s character Achilles from Troy, such was his prowess and legendary status on the streets.

Yet Zahabi believes Diaz has a ‘one of us quits or is dead’ attitude which is unmatched by any.

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“The knock to that is, that’s not our sport,” Zahabi said. “You agreed to five five-minute rounds and we’re prepping for that.

“Of course, Leon Edwards could have done a different preparation if he was fighting a no time-limit fight. I just think that even with a different preparation, Diaz wins.

“I think Diaz is the greatest, probably the best street fighter - and by that I mean no rules, no judges, we just fight until one of us is done, until one of us quits or is dead - I think Diaz wins 99 per cent of the time.”