While it's Nate Diaz, whose popularity seems to have surged in recent years, it's important to remember that older brother Nick was the original Stockton gangster within the octagon.
It feels like a lifetime ago that we last saw Nick Diaz fight in the UFC, having been given a five-year ban by USADA back in 2015 for repeatedly failing drug tests due to his marijuana usage, the California native's career was effectively ended that day.
To celebrate his 37th birthday, The MMA Mindset have decided to look back at five of the most iconic Nick Diaz moments throughout his UFC career. Now, these aren't necessarily his greatest moments, just the ones we remember him most fondly for.
5. "We're throwing spinny s**t now?"
In just his second fight back in the UFC, Nick took on Carlos Condit for the interim UFC Welterweight title. Diaz lost the fight by decision, but it was during Condit's post-fight interview that had us all talking about this one.
"I threw a spinning backfist or something, and he said 'We're throwing spinning s**t now?' I kind of had to smile at that one and just went, 'Yep. Yes, I am.'"
It was typical Diaz, brash, cocky, but hilarious and that's what made him so entertaining.
4. Knocking Robbie Lawler Out Cold
Admittedly, Robbie Lawler wasn't quite the guy who would go on to hold the UFC Welterweight title, back when Diaz fought him in 2004.
Ruthless was still a problem though and Lawler entered the fight with an 8-1 record. He was no match for Diaz though, who knocked him out cold during the fight's second round. It wasn't just the knockout though, it was the manner in which he got it. Stalking Lawler down throughout the fight, Diaz taunted the future welterweight champ, shouting "C'mon b**ch!" and "Stockton!" before tagging him with a combo.
Diaz still stands as one of only two men in history to have ko'd Lawler, alongside Tyron Woodley in 2016.
3. Giving Anderson Silva a Taste of His Own Medicine
In what would ultimately be his final fight in the octagon, Diaz returned after a 22-month layoff to take on former middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva.
Silva had gained notoriety throughout his career for his showboating and the way he taunted his opponents, but Diaz refused to just be another one of those opponents. In one of the most remarkable and memorable fights of both men's' careers, Diaz did his own showboating and taunted Silva relentlessly. Even choosing to lie down on his back with his hands behind his head mid-fight at one point.
Silva won the fight by decision before both men tested positive for drug use and it was overturned into a no contest, but it's Diaz's actions that people are still talking about to this day.
2. "Where you at, George?"
Undoubtedly one of the most famous post-fight interviews we've ever seen, Diaz's call out of then welterweight champion George St-Pierre was an incredible testament to the fighter he was.
Diaz feared nobody and was willing to trash talk with just about anybody, including the future UFC hall of famer. GSP hadn't lost in six years by this point, but that didn't stop the Stockton native calling him out.
While the fight didn't go the way Nick wanted it to, the call call-out was still one of the most memorable and iconic of his career.
1. Beating BJ Penn Into Retirement, Kinda
In what was his first fight back in the UFC after almost five years, Diaz took on BJ Penn. At the time, Penn was still at the peak of his powers, despite his back to back losses against Frankie Edgar.
Just two fights before Penn had KO'd Matt Hughes in 21 seconds, the former lightweight champion started off strongly and looked to be making easy work of Diaz after the first round, but true to who Diaz was, the then 28-year-old came out relentlessly and dominated from there on out.
Penn's cardio flagged massively and Diaz's insane work rate pushed him forwards into what was a pretty decisive victory. Following the fight, Penn would even announce his retirement from the sport right after the fight, only to actually return and fight six more times in the years to follow.
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