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Andrew McNicol

Nate Diaz has weighed in on the late-notice replacement fight between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal at UFC 251 this weekend.
American Diaz (20-12), who last fought in a loss to Masvidal (35-13) via third-round doctor’s stoppage in November last year, tweeted: “Real fights are better fights 100 [per cent]”.
The comment came following news that welterweight champion Usman’s (16-1) original opponent, Gilbert Burns (19-3), pulled out last week after testing positive for Covid-19.
Diaz, 35, has long-expressed his preference for watching stand-up fighters rather than grappling-based ones. Usman is a division two All-American collegiate wrestler, while Brazilian Burns, 33, is a multiple world jiu-jitsu champion.


Last month, Diaz accused the UFC of “settling for less” by booking Usman vs Burns, claiming “this isn’t a title fight”.
After revealing to fans that he is self-quarantining “with a heavy headache”, the “Durinho” Burns appeared to call Diaz out.

Real fights are better fights
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) July 5, 2020

“Real? I would maul you! I will out-grapple you and out-box you.. and I slap you up, don’t talk [about] real,” replied Burns, who beat former champion Tyron Woodley via unanimous decision in May and Demian Maia via first-round TKO in March.
Before the Masvidal loss, Diaz beat Anthony Pettis via unanimous decision in August last year. He had not fought in the Octagon since losing the Conor McGregor rematch via majority decision in 2016.

Real? I would maul you! I will out grapple you and out box you.. and I slap you up don’t talk abt real https://t.co/O8aQ5d8uEi
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) July 6, 2020

UFC president Dana White has openly stepped away from negotiations with Diaz, saying he never knows whether he and his brother, Nick, are serious about returning to fighting. White instead allocates other promotion matchmakers to arrange his fights and contracts.


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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

UFC 251: Nate Diaz calls Usman vs Masvidal ‘a real fight’; Covid-19 pull-out Gilbert Burns says he will ‘slap’ Diaz

UFC welterweight Nate Diaz celebrates his submission victory against Conor McGregor at UFC 196 in Las Vegas in 2016. Photo: USA Today

UFC 251: Jorge Masvidal passes Covid-19 test to make Kamaru Usman replacement fight official

UFC veteran Jorge Masvidal gets into a verbal altercation with welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at Media Row during Super Bowl week in Miami, Florida in January. Photo: Handout

UFC 251: Gilbert Burns tests positive for coronavirus; out of Kamaru Usman main event on ‘Fight Island’

Gilbert Burns celebrates after his victory over Tyron Woodley in their welterweight bout during UFC Fight Night. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

Jorge Masvidal will fight Kamaru Usman in UFC 251 main event ‘barring any last-minute hiccups’

Jorge Masvidal with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson after his victory by TKO on a medical stoppage against Nate Diaz at UFC 244. Photo: AFP

Sport

Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts


The 35-year-old Diaz says the late replacement match-up is a ‘better fight’ than original contest with Burns
‘Durinho’ Burns fires back at Diaz – ‘I will out-grapple and out-box you’



Nate Diaz says the late replacement Kamaru Usman vs Jorge Masvidal match-up is a ‘better fight’ than original title contest with Gilbert Burns, who snaps back.


Nate Diaz

Martial arts

Dana White

Jorge Masvidal

UFC 251: Nate Diaz calls Usman vs Masvidal ‘a real fight’; Covid-19 pull-out Gilbert Burns says he will ‘slap’ Diaz

The 35-year-old Diaz says the late replacement match-up is a ‘better fight’ than original contest with Burns ‘Durinho’ Burns fires back at Diaz – ‘I will out-grapple and out-box you’

The 35-year-old Diaz says the late replacement match-up is a ‘better fight’ than original contest with Burns

‘Durinho’ Burns fires back at Diaz – ‘I will out-grapple and out-box you’