Sherdog’s Top 10: The Ultimate Fighters

8. Nate Diaz

The younger brother of former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, the 26-year-old Californian has begun to blossom as he enters his competitive prime. Diaz, who won season 5 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” has recorded wins in two weight classes, and his 10 total victories within the walls of the Octagon already have him even with a number of high-profile fighters, including former champions Vitor Belfort and Andrei Arlovski. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt under Cesar Gracie, Diaz has proven a potent finisher: 13 of his 15 professional wins have come by knockout, technical knockout or submission. On the strength of consecutive dazzling outings against onetime Pride Fighting Championships titleholder Takanori Gomi and Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts standout Donald Cerrone, he will face Jim Miller in the UFC on Fox 3 main event on May 5 in New Jersey, where a victory could thrust him into title contention at 155 pounds.

British Standard