Las Vegas — An emotional Ozzy Diaz came away from UFC 313 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with his first victory inside the octagon, something he gave his all to achieve.
Diaz kicked off the card against newcomer and Contender Series alum Djorden Santos, battling through a wild three rounds to come away with the unanimous decision win.
Speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press following the violent, grueling affair, Diaz (10-3) credited his patience for the win, while admitting that at the start of the fight, he might have been a little too patient.
“I think he [Santos] was a very tough man. I don’t know exactly what his game plan was, I know I was a little too patient the first round,” noted Diaz, asked about takeaways from the card-opening fight. “I think actually being patient and being kind to my own mind during that fight is what won me that fight. There were some crazy exchanges, he caught me good. Just resetting at all times.”
While Diaz couldn’t find the finish on Saturday, it wasn’t for lack of effort. At one point, a knee almost opened up an avenue to get Santos out of there early, but it wasn’t to be.
“We were planning to knock him out with that 1-2. I saw the knee, and I just said screw it, let me throw it. And I know he felt it,” stated Diaz. “I did put him on his heels. I fight better when I’m pressuring. It is what it is now.”
Ozzy Diaz was emotional in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, and those feelings boiled over again backstage in the media room. “I sacrificed a lot to be here. Everything I love. I went all-in on this camp,” said Diaz, overcome by emotion. “I worked on myself so much in this camp.”
Yet despite that, he wasn’t feeling any pressure, even coming off a loss in his promotional debut. “I actually wasn’t feeling pressure, I think even my team will tell you, I was very calm the whole time. Something about going all in. There’s nothing left, you gave everything in your camp and your preparation. It feels good.”
Diaz also described the feeling of going out and getting his first win in the promotion on one of the biggest stages possible, at an event with fans rather than the empty UFC Apex.
“I feel like we started the event with a banger. I hope we set the tone, I just hope there’s not many good fights on this card. I want this 50 [$50,000 Fight of the Night bonus]. I hope we set the tone for the night I just hope no one has a good fight like that.”
Watch the full UFC 313 post-fight media appearance by Ozzy Diaz above.
