UFC fan favourite Nate Diaz is set to face Leon Edwards in a historic co-main event at UFC 262.
The bout will become the first ever five-round non-title co-main event the UFC has ever booked.
Usually, co-mains that are five rounds will be on cards with two or three title fights – but that isn’t the case here.
Diaz’s long-awaited return
Diaz will be competing for the first time since UFC 244, where he lost to Jorge Masvidal due to a doctor stoppage.
Edwards, on the other hand, will attempt to bounce back from his disappointing no contest result against Belal Muhammad.
Nathan Diaz vs. Leon Edwards is set for UFC 262 on May 15 in Houston, per sources.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) March 31, 2021
And, in a twist, the fight will be the first five-round non-title co-main event in UFC history.
The pair will be the warm-up act for the main event that will see Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira battle it out for the UFC lightweight title. Alas, now that this fight is on the card, you’d have to think it’ll take up a lot of the media’s attention.
Check me out may 15th I’ll be headlining #ufc262 in Houston Texas I’ll also have the new UFC lightweight title fight on the card I need people to know these guys are they’ve been working very hard and I can’t wait to see who gets my old ? I’ll see uguys there ??
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) March 31, 2021
Diaz has been one of the biggest names in MMA ever since he first fought Conor McGregor. Those two fights put him on the map in a big way, establishing him as a superstar across the world.
The same can’t necessarily be said for Leon Edwards. The Jamaican-born contender, who has lived in Birmingham since the age of nine, has a fascinating backstory to go alongside his great run of form in the octagon.
Unfortunately it hasn’t translated to mainstream success just yet, but Diaz could change that.
The association of even being on the same card as him would’ve been huge. Now that he’s actually fighting him, a viable route to a shot at Kamaru Usman’s UFC welterweight title just became a lot clearer.
So buckle up, fight fans, because Nate Diaz is back in business on May 15.
Featured image credit: Getty