Battery charge against fighter Diaz dismissed

Combat sports star Nate Diaz is no longer facing a misdemeanor battery charge in Las Vegas, after a criminal case against him was dismissed Thursday.

The charge stemmed from an incident in August, in which Diaz was accused of striking a bouncer at Omnia nightclub inside Caesars Palace. Video of the incident, which circulated online in September, showed Diaz in a brief altercation with a security guard. Diaz's attorney Ross Goodman, who has represented several UFC stars in Nevada, including Diaz's older brother Nick, said the video lacked crucial context.

"The selected portion of the video that went viral omitted the prelude that Nate pushed back the security guard in his face to create space," Goodman told ESPN. "It appears that one security guard sought a confrontation by repeatedly pushing and getting in Nate's face. In the face of an overaggressive security guard, Nate showed great restraint and poise in trying to deescalate the altercation."

Diaz is one of the biggest stars in UFC history. He left the promotion in 2022 after a win over Tony Ferguson, but stated earlier this week he is interested in returning to the UFC to seek a championship.

He boxed Jake Paul in August 2023, losing a unanimous decision. Diaz then faced former UFC foe Jorge Masvidal in a boxing match in 2024, winning that bout by majority decision.