Nate Diaz, a former UFC star, abruptly left the set of ALF Reality, a Russian Ultimate Fighter spinoff, in Thailand on May 21, 2025, after a violent brawl erupted. The incident occurred during filming where Diaz coached opposite UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Jake Shields, a former UFC welterweight and Diaz’s training partner, detailed the chaotic scene in a YouTube video.
Shields described how the situation escalated when Zalimkhan Yusupov, reportedly linked to Jones, attacked Diaz’s team.
“Once a couple guys tried to blitz me, I’m looking around at, you know, a hundred dudes,” Shields recounted. “It’s like, oh sh*t, I better deescalate this situation, not get crazy. So, at that point, we calmed down, stayed there a little bit longer but it was just chaos. There kept almost being fights, people getting smacked, it was just too much. We started bouncing, they were trying to say we couldn’t leave. We’re just like, ‘Nah, we’re f—king leaving.”
The altercation prompted Diaz and his team, including Shields, to exit the show entirely. Shields later addressed rumors of ongoing threats.
“People have been sending me videos from Russian Instagram and TV and stuff,” he continued. “Supposedly, these Russian and Chechnyan fighters were looking for us around Thailand but the drivers drove us to our hotel, they knew exactly where we were. We were in the same area for three days, four days, going to the exact same places. Everyone knew where we were at, we were chilling right there. They were just running their mouth trying to act tough.” h/t MMAMania
Social media posts noted the unprofessional setup, with some expressing concern for Diaz’s safety.
Unfortunately we only got part of the fight footage in Thailand but here I am breaking down what I have with Jon Jones and Nate Diaz pic.twitter.com/oCVyauS9Ej
— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) May 21, 2025
From Stockton Scrappers to Global Stage
Nate Diaz began his MMA career in 2004, debuting in the UFC in 2007 after winning The Ultimate Fighter 5 with a submission over Manny Gamburyan. Known for his durability and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Diaz amassed a 21-13 record, facing top fighters like Conor McGregor, whom he submitted in 2016, and Benson Henderson. His last UFC fight was a 2022 submission win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279, after which he left to pursue boxing and other ventures.
Jake Shields, a former Strikeforce middleweight champion, competed in the UFC from 2010 to 2014, holding a 33-11-1 record. He challenged for the welterweight title against Georges St-Pierre in 2011 but lost by decision. Shields, a long-time Diaz training partner, transitioned to coaching and grappling post-retirement, remaining a vocal figure in MMA.
The ALF Reality show, produced by Alfredo Auditore, previously featured UFC fighters like Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan, with incidents like Sterling being choked out by a teammate. Diaz and Jones were announced as coaches on May 9, 2025, generating anticipation for their rivalry. However, the brawl, reportedly sparked by Yusupov’s actions while Jones stood by, derailed the production. No official statement from Jones or the show’s producers has clarified whether Diaz will return or be replaced.
Shields’ account suggests underlying tensions, possibly linked to past conflicts between Diaz’s team and Russian fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov, referenced in a 2015 brawl and a 2024 UFC 310 water bottle incident with Makhachev. The MMA community remains divided, with some social media posts criticizing the show’s organization and others praising Diaz’s decision to walk away.
