The next move in Nate Diaz‘s continuing legal struggle has been decided upon. A preliminary court hearing regarding Diaz’s role in a fight that took place on Bourbon Street in late April is set to take place on June 27 at three in the afternoon local time in New Orleans. 

The well-known mixed martial arts fighter may be charged with second-degree battery, which in Louisiana is a crime punishable by up to eight years in prison “with or without hard labor” and/or a fine of up to $2,000, depending on the circumstances of the alleged incident.

Diaz was seen on camera on April 22 choking Rodney Petersen, who looks like Logan Paul, until he was unconscious. Diaz was at Misfits Boxing 6 to support his longtime friend Chris Avila. During the same evening, Diaz threw a water bottle at reality TV star Chase DeMoor while they were both attending the event, which started a brief altercation between the two of them.

Following the issuance of an arrest warrant for Diaz, he surrendered to New Orleans authorities days later. In response to the event, Diaz’s camp has asserted its right to self-defense.

 

“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,” his representative Zach Rosenfield explained in a statement.

 

After the completion of his contract in 2022, Diaz was released from his duties with the UFC. At this time, it is anticipated that he will square off against Jake Paul in a boxing battle in Dallas on August 5. The American Airlines Centre in Dallas is going to play host to a press conference on the event on May 9th.