UFC commentator Jon Anik has come forward with his thoughts on UFC superstar Nate Diaz. For Anik, Diaz is likely one of the UFC’s top pay-per-view draws at the moment.
Nate Diaz has not competed inside the octagon since his two octagon wars with UFC megastar Conor McGregor back in 2016. With that in mind, Diaz and McGregor managed to pull in staggering PPV numbers for both of their fights.
Diaz first shocked the world by shocking out “Notorious” on short notice. The two mixed martial arts warriors then held a rematch, in which McGregor earned a close majority decision victory.
Speaking to MMA Junkie, UFC commentator Jon Anik offered his thoughts on Nate Diaz’s ability to draw in PPV numbers without McGregor.
“I do think you’ll see Nate Diaz at least once here in 2018, and we’ll pray to the masses that it happens.”
“For a lot of fans, I think the Diaz Brothers were what really drew us into martial arts. I remember when I was cutting my teeth, and I would tell people, ‘Just go watch Nick Diaz. If you’re wondering why I love the sport so much, just go watch Nick Diaz.’ There’s just something about these guys that is just so compelling and so captivating.”
“If you’re asking me, I think he’s a top five pay-per-view draw in the company right now. I think Daniel Cormier is in that mix because he’s been buoyed by the two Jon Jones fights. But I think Nate Diaz can carry a pay-per-view without Conor McGregor. Will he be afforded that opportunity? I don’t know.
“I’m not sure we’re going to see Nick again, but I definitely think we are going to see Nate Diaz. I think it’s interesting when you talk about him as a pay-per-view draw. What do the internal metrics say about how much Nate Diaz moves that needle relative to his opponent (in his first two pay-per-view main events), Conor McGregor? … I think Nate Diaz can carry a pay-per-view and do 400,000-plus pay-per-view buys on his own. I really do. Even in a non-championship situation. I don’t know if my bosses agree, but I’d love to see him be afforded that opportunity.”
