Sherdog’s Top 10: Nate Diaz’s Signature Moments

5. ‘Playing Touch Butt’ in the Park

Conor McGregor has a PhD in trash talking and easily ranks among the best ever in combat sports. Nate Diaz is known for his ability to talk trash, too, though it usually occurs in the heat of battle while he torments one of his opponents. In the days leading up to their showdown at UFC 196, Diaz got the best of “Mystic Mac” and his team.

Diaz openly questioned the Irishman’s training methods and partners, and he was quick to call Team McGregor on the carpet during the pre-fight press conference. Diaz referred to a video of McGregor training with a group of guys in a park and doing an assortment of martial arts maneuvers. It had the look of a cheesy 1980s action movie scene, and Diaz held nothing back.

“Who do you train with? You’ve got that little goofy mother [expletive] with you. I have real training partners: top 10 fighters, top 10 boxers, top 10 jiu-jitsu guys, top 10 kickboxers,” Diaz said. “You’re playing touch butt with that dork in the park with the pony tail, and I’m the one who don’t got no training partners? I don’t think so. You’ve got it all figured out when you’re fighting midgets. You’ve got s---.

“My whole team will [expletive] beat your whole team’s ass. How about that?” he added. “The JV squad on my team will beat your team’s ass. I’m just saying I train with top guys. I train with Kron Gracie, world champion, best jiu-jitsu guy there is. I train with Nick [Diaz] and Jake [Shields] and [Gilbert Melendez], top 10 MMA fighters, Joe Schilling, top 10 kickboxing -- just all-around top 10 guys.”

Diaz was not finished.

“All I see is this guy in the park with the goofball with the pony tail,” he said. “I’ll have one of my littlest dudes slap the s--- out of that guy. What the [expletive]? That’s my opinion on the whole training issue. He ain’t got nobody.”

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