Stockton megastar Nate Diaz has been circling the combat sports game for a staggering 21 years, kicking off his career with a memorable win — one he would later repeat.
Competing almost exclusively in the UFC during his memorable career in the sport, Nate Diaz did ply his trade briefly with the likes of Strikeforce and even Pancrase before his tenure in the WEC.
Winning The Ultimate Fighter 5 in his Octagon bow proper, Diaz would share his very first mixed martial arts card with UFC icon Chael Sonnen.
In his debut outing at the lightweight limit, the Californian would pull off a certain finish which he would later repeat in one of his most infamous moments.
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Nate Diaz’s MMA debut against Alejandro Garcia
On this day in 2004, fans witnessed the very first mixed martial arts fight from Nate Diaz, making his debut in the now-defunct World Extreme Cagefighting.
Drawing the 3-1 Alejandro Garcia in his first appearance in the cage at WEC 12, Diaz competed at the lightweight limit, competing before the likes of Chris Lytle, Sonnen, and Shonie Carter, to name a few.
Needing just over a round to land a victory in his debut, Diaz would lock the surging Garcia in a patented triangle choke, and with corner advice from his elder brother Nick Diaz, the Stockton star forced an eventual tap.
Years later in the Octagon, Diaz repeated the now-patented submission off his back to much acclaim.
Nate Diaz’s X-rated win over Kurt Pellegrino
Landing a TKO win over former WEC title challenger Manny Gamburyan in his Octagon debut win, Diaz would enjoy an impressive streak of five straight wins to kick off his promotional run before running into Clay Guida.
After wrapping up three consecutive submission wins, including two back-to-back triangle stoppages, Diaz’s most memorable win came opposite Kurt Pellegrino.
Slammed to the mat by Pellegrino courtesy of a high-crotch single leg, Diaz landed on his back, locking up his submission and throwing up an x-rated double-bird flip, before flexing his biceps with Pellegrino forced to tap.