Mark RaimondiESPN staff writer2 minutes to read
The New Orleans Police Department issued an arrest warrant Monday for former UFC star Nate Diaz on suspicion of second-degree battery, police spokeswoman Karen Baudry confirmed to ESPN.
Baudry said Diaz is not in custody.
Diaz was involved in a fight last week on Bourbon Street after getting a card to fight Misfits in the city. A video that surfaced on social media over the weekend showed Diaz choking YouTube character Rodney Petersen unconscious amid a clash with several others.
Baudry said police officers were alerted to a “major altercation” in the 400 precinct of Bourbon Street at about 2:10 a.m. Saturday. According to Baudry, witnesses alerted the police to the presence of a white man who was believed to be unconscious. Baudry said he regained consciousness and officers noticed the man was “bleeding from the back of his head.” EMS was called in to help the man.
“After the investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for Nate Diaz,” Baudry said. He was assigned to a second rate battery.”
Petersen, known for his resemblance to fellow influencer Logan Paul, can be seen in the video confronting Diaz with people fighting on all sides. Petersen appeared to tackle Diaz, who locked Petersen in a standing guillotine choke until Petersen passed out. Diaz then let Petersen fall to the street below, where Petersen hit his head on the pavement.
Petersen posted a video to social media on Saturday that showed a head injury.
“I don’t know what I did to Nate Diaz,” Petersen said in the video. “But I tell you what, I’ll fire him when I know he’s coming. You blew me away, mate. What were you thinking, Logan?”
Diaz, who left the UFC last year after his contract ran out, is set to face Jake Paul turned YouTuber, brother of Logan, in a boxing grudge match Aug. 5 in Dallas.
Like brothers Paul and Diaz, the 6-foot-4 Petersen has combat sports experience. He is 1-0 as a professional boxer, has a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has fought in MMA several times as an amateur, according to internet records.
Diaz was at the event in support of longtime teammate Chris Avila, who competed on the Misfits card, defeating Paul Bamba. Diaz got into an argument at the venue earlier in the night with Chase DeMoor, the star of the reality show he fought on the card. Diaz threw a water bottle at DeMoor and the two were separated. D’Amore said in a video posted to Twitter on Sunday that Diaz and his team jumped on him after the fights.
There was no immediate response to a request for comment from Diaz’s team on Monday.
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