In the world of mixed martial arts, feuds often ignite as quickly as a first-round knockout—but sometimes, a little peacemaking goes a long way. That was the case this week when two UFC legends, Nate Diaz and Daniel Cormier, finally cleared the air in an awkward yet effective FaceTime call orchestrated by veteran journalist Ariel Helwani.
The tension first surfaced back in January, when former UFC star Ben Askren dismissed Diaz as “never good” on the “Funky and the Champ” show. Cormier, a two-division champion, initially defended Diaz but later shifted his stance, agreeing with Askren. That set the stage for a simmering rivalry that escalated in the months that followed.
In April, Diaz fired back during an appearance on Theo Von’s podcast, mocking Cormier for crying after his losses to Jon Jones and bluntly stating that Cormier “couldn’t fight for s—.” Cormier didn’t let it slide, calling Diaz “average” and pointing to his 13 career losses in MMA. The back-and-forth had fans buzzing, but it seemed destined to boil over into a full-blown war of words.
That’s where Helwani stepped in. During a recent interview with Diaz, the renowned journalist decided to play peacemaker, FaceTiming Cormier in real time to help the two iron out their differences. The exchange was undeniably awkward—a hallmark of any forced reconciliation—but it appeared to do the trick.
“I wanted to mend the fences with this guy,” Helwani said, pointing his phone toward Diaz. Cormier responded with a surprising ease: “I ain’t got no problem with Nate Diaz. I don’t understand, but I like it when Nate Diaz goes crazy on me. It’s more views for my YouTube channel.”
Diaz, however, wasn’t quite ready to let bygones be bygones, offering a terse first response that hinted at lingering frustration. Cormier quickly deflected the blame: “That’s Ben Askren that likes to talk about you.”
Whether this marks the end of their feud or just a temporary truce remains to be seen. For fans of combat sports—and anyone who appreciates a good dose of drama—it’s a reminder that even the fiercest rivals can find common ground, especially when a microphone and a phone call are involved. And for those of us who follow the sport closely, it’s just another chapter in the ever-evolving saga of MMA’s biggest personalities.