Joe Rogan says UFC still doesn’t realise how big a star Nate Diaz really is
- Dana White admits Diaz is ‘a needle mover now’ after famously dismissing his star power in 2014
- Commentator Rogan believes Diaz is ‘equally big’ in America as Conor McGregor
Dana White admitted Nate Diaz is “a needle mover now”. But Joe Rogan has said some people in the UFC still don’t realise how big a star he really is.
Diaz mauled Anthony Pettis in a unanimous decision victory at UFC 241 in Anaheim, California, on Saturday night despite a three-year lay-off from the octagon.
“When he walked out, the place roared, as loud as any main event person, whether it’s Stipe [Miocic] or DC [Daniel Cormier], Nate Diaz got the biggest roar,” UFC commentator Rogan said on his YouTube podcast.
“I don’t think some people in the UFC realise how big a star he really is. I think they thought the Conor fight, Conor was the big star, Nate beat him. Conor won the second fight, Conor still remains the big superstar.
“I think Nate is equally as big a star in America as Conor, I don’t know what worldwide is like, but in America Nate Diaz is a giant star. Maybe not as big as Conor, but a tier below maybe, enormously famous.”
Diaz submitted Conor McGregor with a rear-naked choke in a shock upset in March 2016, before losing a razor-thin split decision to the Irishman in their rematch five months later.