Former UFC lightweight title challenger Nate Diaz has been suspended indefinitely by the promotion after using a homophobic slur against bantamweight Bryan Caraway Thursday afternoon, MMA Fighting reports.
Diaz tweeted his opinion on rising lightweight contender Pat Healy being stripped of his $130,000 in “Fight of the Night” and "Submission of the Night” bonuses after testing positive for marijuana after UFC 159.
“I feel bad for pat Healy that they took a innocent mans money and I think the guy who took the money is the biggest F*g in the world .. #sorryasslittlebitch”
Early Thursday morning, UFC President Dana White tweeted that since Healy’s masterful rear-naked choke submission over perennial contender Jim Miller was overturned to a no-contest, Caraway would be receiving the “Submission of the Night” check instead.
Responding to a fan via social media, White wrote:
“@_Royy it's known up front that checks are held until everyone passes the drug test. Brian Caraway get the SON now. Healy did himself dirty."
At the April 27 event in Newark, New Jersey, Caraway submitted Johnny Bedford late in the third round with a mounted guillotine, improving his UFC record to 3-1.
Clearly, Diaz was not thrilled by the sanction, but his harsh words did not go unnoticed by his employer.
As MMA Fighting first reported, the UFC issued a statement to various media outlets detailing how and why the Stockton, California native was being punished:
"We are very disappointed by Nate Diaz’s comments, which are in no way reflective of our organization. Nate is currently suspended pending internal investigation and we will provide further comment once the matter has been decided.”
Diaz is just 3-4 in his past seven fights, in the midst of a two-fight losing streak, getting beaten by current UFC champ Benson Henderson and former Strikeforce titleholder Josh Thomson.
As eDraft reported, UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione was recently suspended for violating the UFC’s code of conduct last month.
However, the move looked like a formality when “Meathead” was booked to fight Brendan Schaub at UFC on FOX 8 in July just 16 days after the suspension was handed down.