Nate Diaz is now free to fight wherever he chooses.

The Stockton slugger has been out of action since September at UFC 279. While he was originally slated to face Khamzat Chimaev, the fight was scrapped after ‘Borz’ missed weight. Diaz instead faced Tony Ferguson in the pay-per-view headliner.

In the main event, ‘El Cucuy’ lost by fourth-round submission. The fight was an important win for Diaz, as it was the last bout on his UFC contract. Following the victory, the longtime fan-favorite hinted at a possible move to boxing, likely to face Jake Paul. However, he also left the door open to a UFC return.

While he did fight out his UFC contract, the mixed-martial-arts promotion still had an exclusivity negotiating period with Nate Diaz. Now, that period has ended, and the welterweight is free to negotiate with whoever he pleases. Along with that, Diaz has been removed from the UFC’s roster.

However, as reported by MMAFighting, there’s still a possibility that he will return to the UFC next. In a comment given to Ariel Helwani, Diaz’s manager, Zach Rosenfield, stated that he could return to face Conor McGregor. Furthermore, the Stockton native plans to fight two to three times next year.

“This does not shut the door on Diaz continuing to stay in the UFC,” Diaz’s representative, Zach Rosenfield stated to MMAFighting. “With the pending return of Conor McGregor, that fight still remains extremely appealing to both fans, the promotion, as well as Diaz and McGregor. But what is now clear is that the long-awaited Nathan Diaz free agent sweepstakes has begun.”

As Nate Diaz’s manager noted, the sweepstakes have begun, and there’s no shortage of potential landing spots. While he’s teased a move to boxing, the UFC, Bellator, and BKFC have shown an interest in signing the fan favorite. As of now, there’s no clear indication of where he will land.

What do you make of this news? Who do you want to see Diaz fight next? Sound off in the comment section below PENN Nation!