The untold origin story of the BMF title, told by the man who created it

"Since then, the "BMF" title has been one of the UFC's savviest marketing plays, reserved for the promotion's most ferocious, exciting fighters: Diaz, Masvidal, Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Holloway and Oliveira. The UFC stands as the BMF's official record keeper, but the true origin story belongs to Diaz. It's a story that began in Stockton, California, where every Diaz story starts."

"In Diaz's own words, it is "the moral code of the fight game." This is the untold history of the BMF, according to the man who wrote it. For Nate Diaz, the history of the BMF begins with the first BMF he ever knew -- his older brother, Nick."

""They thought they were the coolest kids in school because they played football," Nate told ESPN. "Nick was like, 'F--- football and f--- these fools.' He'd walk into a party and say, 'Who's the baddest motherf---er in the room? I am. What's up?' Everything I ever knew was always, 'Who's the baddest motherf---er in the room?'""

The BMF title represents the fifth championship of its kind in UFC history, with Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira competing for it at UFC 326. The title's official lineage began at UFC 241 in 2019 when Nate Diaz defeated Anthony Pettis and called out Jorge Masvidal for the "baddest motherf---er in the game belt." UFC CEO Dana White created a physical BMF belt for their subsequent matchup at UFC 244. Since then, the title has become one of the UFC's most successful marketing strategies, reserved for the promotion's most ferocious and exciting fighters including Diaz, Masvidal, Gaethje, Poirier, Holloway, and Oliveira. The true origin story traces back to Nate Diaz's experiences in Stockton, California, influenced by his older brother Nick's fighting mentality and philosophy.

Read at ESPN.com