A lawsuit has been filed against Nate Diaz following an altercation in New Orleans nearly a year ago.
Diaz was arrested and charged with second-degree battery in April 2023 when a social media video surfaced of him applying a chokehold to a man who turned out to be amateur MMA fighter Rodney Peterson. Peterson was choked unconscious and fell to the ground.
Shortly after the incident, a representative for Diaz issued a statement claiming that Diaz — who is preparing for a boxing match against Jorge Masvidal on June 1 — acted in self-defense. The Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office dropped the charges against Diaz in September.
Peterson is now pursuing a civil suit against Diaz, seeking compensation for both physical and emotional damages. The lawsuit, acquired by ESPN, states that Peterson “fell and struck his head on the concrete causing injuries which required emergency medical intervention” and that Diaz, along with two unidentified individuals noted as John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, left the scene “in a monument of cowardice.”
Peterson, through his attorney Bradley Egenberg, claims that he suffered severe injuries to his “head, neck, and brain” and is seeking to recover damages due to “suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, psychological distress, medical expenses, lost income and earning capacity.”
The lawsuit was filed April 17. The amount Peterson is seeking is unclear.
ESPN reached out to Zach Rosenfeld, Nate Diaz’s longtime representative for a statement.
Rosenfeld’s response was simply: “LOL.”