UFC Flyweight Brandon Royval Shares Insight on Nate Diaz’s Water Bottle Fight With Islam Makhachev
UFC legend Nate Diaz never shies away from controversy. Whether in the octagon or backstage, Diaz seems to always find his way into a fight.
During UFC 310 fight week, footage circulated of Nate getting into an altercation with UFC Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. The champion and Diaz got into a water bottle fight, reminiscent of the viral UFC 202 press conference, in which McGregor and Diaz hurled water bottles at each other.
Diaz was at the event to corner his teammate Kron Gracie, ahead of his main card bout against Bryce Mitchell. The teams of Makhachev and Diaz crossed paths at the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-ins.
After being separated by security the two parties began launching water bottles at one another. Given Diaz’s history, assuming Diaz instigated the water bottle brawl seemed fitting.
However, UFC Flyweight Brandon Royval was in attendance and has since provided a behind-the-scenes account of the affairs.
Brandon Royval’s Take
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Brandon Royval shared what went down at the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh in’s:
“Diaz is walking by me, and a water bottle zooms past my head. That’s what people didn’t see! Diaz didn’t throw that first water bottle, the first one was thrown at him…Diaz turned around and they were going after him. I knew exactly who threw the water bottle! It was [Tagir Ulanbekov], I turned around and saw it… It was just a bad throw! I swear to god, Nate did not start that s***. The video shows Nate throwing the first water bottle, but somebody didn’t record it because someone threw it at him first.”
Royval defended the UFC veteran, instead blaming fellow UFC Flyweight, Tagir Ulanbekov. Team Makhachev and Team Diaz have a history, with Nate getting into various altercations with Makhachev’s teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Ultimately the two never shared the octagon together as Khabib retired in 2021 and Diaz parted ways with the organisation in 2022. Diaz saw out his contract and entered the boxing ring, facing Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal.
After losing to Paul and beating Masvidal, Diaz has teased a return to the UFC, but there has been no word from the UFC yet.
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