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In recent days, a video of mixed martial artist Nate Diaz participating in a street brawl has been widely circulated on the internet. The video shows Diaz strangling his opponent with a guillotine and throwing him to the ground.
NOPD Issues Statement on the Incident
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has released a statement on the altercation, which took place in the 400 block of Bourbon Street on April 22, and the subsequent charge against Diaz.
According to the NOPD, officers were alerted to the altercation at 2:10 am and were able to disperse the crowd. A witness reported a white male subject who appeared to be unconscious, but who regained consciousness and was found to be bleeding from the rear of his head.
An arrest warrant was subsequently issued for Nate Diaz, who has been charged with second-degree battery. Rodney Petersen, the victim in the altercation, is known for his resemblance to YouTube personality Logan Paul. In a video, Petersen can be heard saying, "I don’t know what the hell I did to Nate Diaz.
But I’m telling you what, I’m gonna knock him the fuck out when I know he’s coming. You caught me off guard, dude. What did you think I was, Logan?"
Nate Diaz's Response
Nate Diaz's representative, Zach Rosenfield, released a statement on behalf of the fighter's attorney, Walter Becker, saying, "Nate’s attorney looks forward to presenting all of the facts about this incident to the District Attorney which clearly demonstrate that a trained fighter named Rodney Petersen aggressively pursued Nate with the intention of engaging him and once doing so, Nate acted entirely in self-defense.
No further comment will be made at this time."
The Conflict Escalates
The altercation between Diaz and Peterson was part of a larger fight that began when Diaz hit Netflix star Chase DeMoore with a bottle at a boxing event.
If found guilty, Diaz faces up to eight years in prison and a $2,000 fine, according to Louisiana state law. As of yet, neither Diaz nor his lawyers have publicly commented on the matter, and their version of events is still awaited.
The situation remains a developing story, and the outcome of the charges against Nate Diaz is yet to be determined.
