4/25 10:05 AM PT -- 4/25 -- Nate Diaz's camp has broken their silence on the altercation that resulted in a battery charge ... claiming the UFC star was simply protecting himself.
“Nate’s attorney Walter Becker can confirm that Nate has received word of the arrest warrant and Becker has been in contact with court authorities in New Orleans," Diaz's rep Zach Rosenfield said in a statement to TMZ Sports.
"Nate’s attorney looks forward to presenting all of the facts about this incident to the District Attorney which clearly demonstrates 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.”
4/25 7:35 AM PT -- Another angle of the Diaz incident has surfaced ... showing a more complete picture of the mayhem. People close to Nate are adamant he was defending himself against a bigger guy who was looking for trouble, and nothing more.
Nate Diaz is now a wanted man in Louisiana ... cops said Monday afternoon they've issued an arrest warrant for the former UFC star -- after he was seen on camera choking out a man on Bourbon Street.
The incident happened late Saturday night after Diaz had attended the Misfits Boxing 6 event in New Orleans.
Nate Diaz Chokes Out Man on Street into Unconsciousness
In footage of the altercation, you can see Diaz got a man in a headlock during what appeared to be a large dispute -- and he didn't let the guy go until he was unconscious.
The man later took to social media to say he suffered a gnarly head wound during the incident.
According to MMA Fighting, authorities said they reviewed the footage, and an arrest warrant for Diaz for second-degree battery was ultimately issued.
Diaz is not currently in custody.
The 38-year-old fighter has yet to publicly comment on the situation ... but sources close to the fighter tell TMZ Sports he did not believe the man he choked out was acting as a peacemaker -- saying there was a larger fight happening in the area and the guy was part of that group. They're adamant Diaz was simply defending himself.
The whole Nate Diaz, Chase deMoor water bottle incident 💦 @MF_DAZNXSeries | @SauerlandBros | @MamsTaylor | @PrimeHydrate | @Stake pic.twitter.com/Lx8MvRyhRv
— Misfits Boxing (@MisfitsBoxing) April 22, 2023
Diaz, who's slated to box Jake Paul later this summer, had been in a separate altercation earlier in the night -- when he threw a water bottle at reality star Chase DeMoor while ringside at the boxing event.
Originally Published -- 4/24 3:40 PM PT