Nate Diaz surrenders after brawl; lawyer says self-defense

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Mixed martial arts fighter Nate Diaz turned himself in to police in New Orleans on Thursday to face a battery charge arising from a weekend street brawl.

Police said the fight happened early Saturday outside a pizza restaurant and left a man unconscious.

Diaz went to police with his attorney Thursday and turned himself in, a police news release said. His attorney has told New Orleans news outlets Diaz acted in self-defense.

Diaz posted bond and was cleared to return home to Stockton, California, Zach Rosenfield, Diaz’s public relations representative, said.

“We appreciate how we were treated by the New Orleans Police Department, the court and their staff,” Rosenfield said in an email.

Diaz, 38, has been one of the most popular fighters in MMA since 2016, when he split two entertaining bouts with Conor McGregor.

Diaz and his older brother, former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz, are well-known for their brash fighting style, their strict training standards, their embrace of marijuana culture and an overall anti-authoritarian attitude that appeals greatly to MMA fans.

Nate Diaz has fought for the UFC since 2007, but he is a promotional free agent after completing his UFC contract last year with a submission of Tony Ferguson. Diaz has said he would be open to returning to the UFC in the future, but he also launched his own combat sports promotion, Real Fight Inc., last year.

Diaz is also following the path of many MMA stars by moving to the boxing ring, where paydays are often larger than in the UFC. He is scheduled to fight YouTube star Jake Paul in August in an eight-round boxing match in Dallas.