Following his disappointing split-decision loss to Gray Maynard at UFN 20, Nate Diaz issued a statement on Graciefighter.com revealing his thoughts on the fight and his intention to take the jump up in weight to 170 pounds for the future.

 There is definitely a question mark surrounding Diaz in the current state of his career. 

Nate began his post-TUF UFC career with a fiery 5-0 start:  beating Manny Gamburyan in the finale, and then going on an incredible and exhilarating submission-spree against Junior Assuncao, Alvin Robinson, and established vet Kurt Pellegrino.  His fight against Josh Neer may have marked a turning point, as even though he advanced forward and upward on the contender ladder, Neer showed that matching Diaz' elevated pressure with strategic and cerebral counters and avoidance of submissions at all costs could serve as the blueprint to dismantle his abstract and unusual fighting style.

This was the tactic taken by Diaz' next two opponents, who halted the young fighter's multiplying momentum with stifling game-plans that resulted in back-to-back losses.  Diaz rebounded and latched a submission on athletic specimen Melvin Guillard, but his loss to Maynard last night makes him just 1-3 in his last 4.  I agree wholeheartedly that some significant change must be made, but I'm unsure if swimming in the welterweight shark tank will provide anything other than a different set of issues and added diversity for Diaz to overcome.

At 170, Nate will lose many of the advantages that make him such a formidable and atypical opponent at lightweight:  his reach, which allows him to implement his long and awkward striking style and get away with stationary footwork and lax head-movement; his height, which makes him more formidable on the feet, and gives him added leverage in the clinch and in technical and chaotic scrambles on the ground; his strength, which barely qualifies as adequate for lightweight, will need serious enforcement against the powerful and explosive lions at welterweight just to be equal; his Jiu Jitsu, which will always be top-shelf and his most deadly weapon, will be more difficult to rely on against the savvy squadron of grappling-based welterweights that dominate the upper-half of the division hierarchy.

Neither of the Diaz brothers really use "strength" in the traditional sense.  They rarely, if ever, overpower or out-muscle their opponents, but rather use finely honed technique to counter and maintain control.  Another admirable but questionable trend in the Diaz brothers style of fighting is their willingness to take risks because they have the confidence that they can fight their way out of poor positions with clever defense.  The problem is that they inevitably end up giving up a superior position to their opponents, and even though they can wow the crowd with a miraculous escape, they suffer on the judges' score cards if they are unable to finish.

Nate is stuck at a crossroad that is eerily similar to his brother's position in 2006 after losing three consecutive decisions to Sanchez, Riggs, and Sherk.  They are amazing fighters who always entertain, and their natural talent and knack for fighting is inarguable--yet the cold, hard reality of the win and loss column calls for a revision of standard operating procedure to produce more favorable results.

As a huge fan of Nate Diaz, I'm not sure the leap to the fiercely competitive welterweight division effectively addresses the root-cause of his shortcomings.  From the comfort and cluelessness of my couch, my opinion is that an increase in punching power and stand-up efficiency is absolutely necessary.  The high accumulation of nonstop punches that are nowhere near to finishing the fight only allow more openings in his defense, and he isn't being rewarded for the overwhelming quantity in the judges' eyes.  Additionally, his propensity to take risks and leave himself susceptible to takedowns and deficient positions only force him to struggle to regain lost ground on the score cards.

The thought of Nate Diaz wielding the same ability to end the fight at any time on the feet like he does on the ground is frightening.  He seems to have all the tools, instincts, and talent to be an elite fighter, but the status is just out of reach.  Considering the correlations with big brother Nick, perhaps a jump in weight will endow him with more power in his punches and more options to put opponents away.

Regardless, he's earned my respect and I will enjoy watching the young fighter progress throughout what will surely be a successful career in mixed martial arts.