Nate Diaz claims he was the first choice to play the villain in the recent Roadhouse reboot — not his fellow UFC star Conor McGregor.
Diaz and McGregor are two of the fiercest rivals in MMA history. They went 1-1 in a pair of unforgettable scraps in 2016. Diaz won their first encounter by submission, while McGregor evened the score with a decision victory in a thrilling five-round rematch.
Since then, the pair have diverged on very different paths, participating in some big fights, and getting involved in various business ventures. McGregor even starred as the main villain in the recent reboot of the popular Patrick Swayze film, Roadhouse.
If Diaz is to believed, he was originally supposed to play the part McGregor got — and you won’t believe why he turned it down.
Why did Nate Diaz turn down Roadhouse role?
Jake Gyllenhaal starred as the protagonist in the remake. It was therefore implied from the get-go that his character would ultimately defeat the villain in the film. That’s where Diaz took issue. He was not ok with losing to one of the stars of the acclaimed drama Brokeback Mountain, in which Gyllenhaal played a homosexual — even in a fictional scenario.
“I was supposed to do Conor McGregor’s part in Road House,” Diaz said on the HJR podcast (via MMA Mania). “That was my part, but I was like, ‘I’m not fighting, go in there, and losing a fight.’ I’ve seen the original Roadhouse. So I’m the main bad guy? I’m supposed to fight … okay, who’s the Patrick Swayze then? And they said it was Jake Gyllenhaal and I’m like, ‘I ain’t going to no movie and losing to no Brokeback Mountain.’ F*ck that. I’m good. I can’t do it.”
Diaz last fought in the boxing ring, when he picked up a decision win over fellow UFC veteran Jorge Masvidal. Prior to that, he suffered a decision loss to Jake Paul. He has stated that he hopes to return to the UFC. It remains to be seen if he’ll be invited back.
McGregor, meanwhile, seems content to focus on initiatives outside the cage, like a bid for Irish president. However, some people are starting to worry for his wellbeing.
