Nate Diaz (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

By FCF Staff

Earlier in the week, Nate Diaz was ranked as the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s #5 lightweight, however, after the promotion’s rankings were updated recently, the fighter is no longer in the top 15.

The surprising twist comes at a time when Diaz has openly criticized his contract with the promotion, and not long after he reportedly turned down a bout with Khabib Nurmagomedov due to financial reasons. In a follow up report from ESPN.com, the UFC released the following statement about Diaz’s removal from the rankings:

“Nate Diaz has been removed due to inactivity related to his refusal to accept bouts. There is no timetable for if and when he returns. Thus, he’s been removed from the rankings.”

Diaz has not fought since November, when he took out Gray Maynard with strikes in the opening round. Prior to that the 29 year-old fighter dropped bouts to Benson Henderson and Josh Thomson.

In addition, the new lightweight rankings do not include TJ Grant, who at one point was in line for a title shot. Due to a serious concussion he incurred last year, however, the lightweight has not fought since May, 2013 (when he TKO’d the aforementioned Maynard).