UFC 141: Does Nate Diaz Need a Win to Stay in the Mix?

Tonight at UFC 141 in Las Vegas, Nate Diaz faces Donald Cerrone in a match that could see the winner vaulted into the top echelon of the UFC's lightweight division.

A winner of four straight, Cerrone is probably safely ensconced in the general contender mix regardless of the UFC 141 outcome. 

Diaz, however, is on slightly less stable footing. The younger Diaz brother is 3-3 in his last six outings, and 14-7 overall. A loss tonight would be his third in four. So given this, does he need a win to stay in the contender mix?

No, he doesn't.

Still reading? Alright, here's the expanded answer. First, this will only be Diaz's second fight since returning to lightweight after four fights and about a year-and-a-half at welterweight. He went 2-2 during that stint at 170.

Since dropping back down, he is 1-0. But what a one it was. At UFC 135, Diaz pounded famed Japanese fighter Takanori Gomi for four minutes before pulling an armbar submission for a first-round victory that also earned him the Submission of the Night bonus.

True, the 33-year-old Gomi is 1-3 in the UFC, and a loser in five of his last eight. Still, though, the guy is 32-8-1 overall and a former champion in Pride, so Gomi's still a serious notch on any fighter's belt. That it was arguably the best performance of Diaz's career only makes the win more impressive.

And speaking of performances, that Submission of the Night bonus was Diaz's seventh postfight bonus in the UFC. He's got a little bit of name recognition himself. His ability to put on great fights—and rankle his opponents and others in the process—makes him a valuable and high-profile entity.

Top fighters looking for a big scalp of their own will never say no to a fight with Nate Diaz. Not to say he is immune to the consequences of a big losing streak, but he may have a longer leash than others. And with the best win of his life still large in the rear-view mirror, Nate's leash may be longer than ever.