In a fiery exchange that has set social media ablaze, UFC veteran Nate Diaz has launched a sharp attack on boxing star Ryan Garcia. The outburst came after Garcia posted a humorous video expressing a desire to train under retired MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, a move that clearly did not sit well with Diaz.
Ryan Garcia's Viral Dagestan Training Joke
Ryan Garcia took to Instagram with a video that quickly captured the attention of the combat sports world. Using a popular filter that gave him a fake beard, mimicking the look of fighters from Dagestan, Garcia tagged Khabib Nurmagomedov directly. His caption played on a famous phrase associated with Khabib and his protege, Islam Makhachev: “Just give me 2-3 years @khabib_nurmagomedov”.
This phrase is iconic within MMA circles, often referring to the idea of sending a fighter to the rugged training camps of Dagestan to emerge as a transformed warrior. Garcia amplified the joke in the comments, dubbing himself “Ryan Makhachev”, a clear nod to the current UFC welterweight champion and Khabib's close associate. The post sparked mixed reactions from fans across boxing and MMA communities, many amused by Garcia's characteristic boldness on social media.
Nate Diaz's Blunt and Controversial Retort
However, not everyone found the post amusing. Nate Diaz, known for his unfiltered persona, responded with a blunt and controversial comment that immediately went viral. Diaz wrote, “Aw shit u turned gay bruh”. This sharp retort not only criticized Garcia's antics but also reopened old wounds, highlighting Diaz's deep-seated tensions with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team.
The history between Nate Diaz and the Dagestan camp is long and contentious. The rivalry dates back to 2015 at a World Series of Fighting event, where Diaz was supporting his friend Jake Shields. Diaz later recounted the incident to journalist Ariel Helwani, accusing Khabib and his team of bullying behavior.
“I’m not into this bully s***, he’s into bullying and stuff, that’s his thing,” Diaz explained. “When I ran into him and his team at the World Series, I was standing there watching Jake, my friend, fight. And they took a group picture with me behind them, just to laugh at me, make fun of me… They’re all laughing, 12 Russian dudes. I slapped him in his face for making fun of me.”
A Rivalry That Refuses to Fade
The animosity did not end there. Another notable public confrontation occurred at UFC 311, where water bottles were thrown between Islam Makhachev and Nate Diaz, further cementing the bad blood. These incidents have consistently shown that the tension between the Stockton-native fighter and the dominant Dagestani MMA faction has never truly dissipated.
Ryan Garcia's lighthearted post, therefore, acted as a trigger, pulling these past conflicts back into the spotlight. Diaz's reaction was less about Garcia's boxing career and more a direct continuation of his feud with Khabib's circle. It underscores how rivalries in combat sports often transcend individual matchups and can be ignited by seemingly unrelated events on social media.
The online debate now swirls around Diaz's choice of words, Garcia's penchant for viral stunts, and the enduring legacy of Khabib Nurmagomedov's influence, which continues to shape narratives in both MMA and boxing worlds years after his retirement from the octagon.
