Islam Makhachev has explained his run-in with Nate Diaz in December, when the pair’s teams threw water bottles at each other at a UFC press conference.
On the week of UFC 310, Makhachev took part in an early press conference for UFC 311, where he defends the lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan on 18 January.
Backstage at the press conference, the Russian came across Diaz. The UFC legend was present to support his teammate Kron Gracie, who was weighing in for UFC 310, and chaos ensued.
“I had a press conference, [UFC 310] fighters had official weigh-ins,” Makhachev told former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson. “We sat, and Diaz started to show [his middle finger]. For what? Maybe for someone, it’s good, no problem – but that’s not our style.
“One of [our] guys wore a mask. He was sick a little bit and wore the mask, and maybe Diaz was thinking it’s Khabib and showed him [his middle finger], you know? But that day Khabib was not in Vegas, he was in some other country.”
Makhachev was referring to his coach and childhood friend, Khabib Nurmagomedov, who held the UFC lightweight title before retiring from fighting in 2020. Diaz has a history with Khabib and once claimed he “slapped” the Russian.
“You know what’s interesting?” Makhachev continued. “Maybe five, six months ago, I met Diaz in the elevator in the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. He goes to me and says, ‘Respect, respect, respect,’ but what changed now? A lot of cameras come, and always people change.
“We don’t have something. If I have something with him, I can fix it in the Wynn Hotel. But he came to me and said ‘respect’ and then he [went]. But when the camera comes, he’s changing. And people think I started this! I’m not starting this.
“Security comes and they want to send my team from the arena and I’m like, ‘Hey, it’s not the guys’ fault!’ [We’re told:] ‘Sorry, you guys have to leave. You have to stay and do an interview, and your team has to leave.’ I said, ‘No, it’s not working like this. If they leave, I leave with them,’ and they cancelled all interviews.
“The next day [at UFC 310], they put me close to the cage. I sat with Dana [White, UFC president], and Dana came to me and said: ‘You are a troublemaker.’ I said: ‘Dana, it’s not my fault!’”
Diaz, 39, has not fought in the UFC since 2022, when his contract expired. The American has since boxed twice, however, losing to YouTube star Jake Paul via decision and outpointing former UFC rival Jorge Masvidal.
Makhachev’s title defence against Tsarukyan is a rematch of their closely-fought bout in 2019, which marked the latter’s UFC debut. Makhachev, 33, beat the Armenian-Russian, 28, on points.
