George Kittle isn't a Bay Area native himself, but the 49ers tight end was rooting hard for legendary MMA fighter Nate Diaz as he competed in UFC 263 on Saturday night against Leon Edwards.
Diaz, who was born and raised in Stockton, took a beating through much of the bout with Edwards in Glendale, Ariz. on Saturday, but rallied and was nearing a knockout before the time ran out.
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Edwards was the winner by unanimous decision, but Diaz got much of the love on social media after the fight, with many saying he could have won if there were more rounds.
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Kittle long has been a big fan of combat sports, as he frequently comments on wrestling and mixed martial arts through his social media accounts.
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The 49ers tight end and Jimmy Garoppolo also went viral a few years ago after they attended a wrestling event in San Francisco and chugged some beers on camera with several other teammates.
Diaz might not have won the fight, but Kittle and the rest of the UFC fanbase came away with a lot of respect for the 36-year-old.