Tag: Nate Diaz

Photos: Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal press conference in New York

Check out photos from the Diaz vs. Masvidal press conference in New York ahead of their June 1 boxing match in L.A.

Check out these photos from the [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] press conference for their upcoming boxing match at Palladium Times Square in New York. (Photos courtesy of Ed Diller, Fanmio)

Jorge Masvidal rips ‘diva’ Nate Diaz for non-negotiable boxing stipulations

Former UFC BMF Jorge Masvidal is upset over the non-negotiable terms Nate Diaz demanded for their upcoming boxing match.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] is rolling with the punches, but he’s pretty upset with the way Nate Diaz has handled himself leading up to their scheduled boxing match.

The former UFC stars will meet for the second time in combat sports, but the rematch will take place in the boxing ring instead of the cage. The 10-round, 175-pound boxing match is set for June 1 at Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and will stream on Fanmio pay-per-view.

Masvidal appears ready to take care of business inside of the ring, but outside, he says Diaz has made things very difficult to make the fight come together due to various terms and conditions.

“He said he wouldn’t fight unless he walked out second, like non-negotiable,” Masvidal told reporters in a scrum. “Like what the f*ck you talking about? Real Fighters Inc., and this the sh*t you’re pulling? … Another thing that he wanted was his name on top, or he wouldn’t fight. So, I’m like, ‘Do you want to fight or what, motherf*cker?’

“You’ve been telling the whole world the same sh*t, because back in the UFC when I was fighting for titles and you were doing f*cking nothing but picking your nose, you didn’t want to scrap after I got done with them title fights, and it was the same diva act. Now, finally, we got the deal done. It took in totality, the deal took about a year. Like five months with the UFC, and another like four with Nate ‘The Diva’ Diaz.”

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Masvidal and Diaz first met at UFC 244 in November 2019 for the inaugural BFM title. “Gamebred” won the fight by TKO after the ringside doctor called a stop to the fight in Round 3 due to a cut above Diaz’s right eye.

While Masvidal isn’t thrilled with having to deal with Diaz’s demands for their second meeting, he hopes his opponent comes to fight in June, and doesn’t pull some of the same antics he did in his boxing debut against Jake Paul last August.

“At least come in there in f*cking shape, man,” Masvidal said. “And at least do your job to everybody watching. Because we’re not watching to watch two guys f*cking fake guillotine and the other guy pointing at him and walking around the ring. People ain’t doing that sh*t and that’s why I think I get so much love because I put everything I got into this craft. When I go out there, I’m going to show Nate why he shouldn’t be smoking so many f*cking blunts.”

The pair have committed to a four-city promotional tour to raise interest in their boxing showdown, which is co-promoted by Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. and Masvidal’s Gamebred Boxing. Masvidal plans to reveal all of the hoops Diaz made him jump through before ultimately “ending” him inside the ring.

“My plan is just to state facts,” Masvidal said. “The moment I sit in that chair, facts that I can prove with contracts and paperwork, and show the whole world if anybody has questions on it why I’m so f*cking upset. Because this fight could have taken place way long ago and Nate Diaz is a f*cking diva.”

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Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal four-city ‘Baddest Tour’ kicks off Friday in Las Vegas

Fight fans are about to get a heavy dose of Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal together in the same room.

Fight fans are about to get a heavy dose of [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] together in the same room.

The UFC veterans announced Monday on their respective Instagram pages that they will take part in a four-city “Baddest Tour” ahead of their boxing match.

The first stop on the Diaz vs. Masvidal promotional tour is this Friday inside Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World in Las Vegas. After that, it continues April 16 at Palladium Times Square in New York, followed by April 17 at Pier 5 at Bayside in Miami, before concluding April 19 at The Novo Theater in Los Angeles. All four events are open to the public.

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Diaz and Masvidal are scheduled for 10-round boxing match June 1 at Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. It’ll be a rematch of their inaugural BMF title fight that took place in November 2019 at UFC 244, which Masvidal won by third-round injury stoppage TKO due to a cut above Diaz’s eye.

Diaz, 38, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Jake Paul in their boxing match last August. It was Diaz’s first competition since he left the UFC after his final promotion appearance, a win over Tony Ferguson, in September 2022 at UFC 279.

Masvidal, 39, hasn’t competed since losing to Gilbert Burns last April at UFC 287, which capped off a four-fight losing streak. Masvidal announced afterward that he was retired from MMA.

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For more on the matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Diaz vs. Masvidal 2.

VIDEO: Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown geeks out over ex-UFC star Nate Diaz

Mike Brown was gushing when he heard Nate Diaz was going to be in attendance for a Sacramento Kings game.

Mike Brown was gushing when he heard [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] was going to be in attendance for a Sacramento Kings game.

The former UFC star attended Tuesday’s Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Clippers game at Golden 1 Center. The Kings won their home game 109-95.

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Brown, the Sacramento Kings’ head coach, heaped praise on Diaz and discussed his love for the UFC.

“I’m a big UFC guy,” Brown said during a media scrum. “Man, I heard Nate Diaz is in the house. Respect, Nate. You, your brother, what you guys (have) done – I get excited when I watch UFC. I have me a few drinks, and I get into it and think I’m out there.

“I could never do what they do, but man, (I’m) a huge, huge fan of the Diaz brothers, especially knowing Nate is in the house, so if you guys see him out there, obviously I know you guys do anyway, but show him love because he’s one of the all-time greatest – a lot of fun to watch.”

Michael Bisping: Faster, more technical Jorge Masvidal beats Nate Diaz again

Michael Bisping thinks Nate Diaz will suffer the same fate against Jorge Masvidal in the boxing ring.

[autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] will suffer the same fate against [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] in the boxing ring.

Diaz and Masvidal will run things back in a 10-round, 175-pound boxing match June 1 at Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The bout will stream on Fanmiopay-per-view at a $79.99 price point ($49.99 for pre-orders through April 12).

Masvidal stopped Diaz by third-round doctor’s stoppage TKO in their “BMF” title fight at UFC 244 in November 2019. Although he used a kick-heavy approach to set up his hands, Bisping doesn’t see a change in rules helping Diaz against Masvidal, whom he rates as the cleaner boxer.

“Now in terms of who I think wins this fight, I have already alluded to it, I’ve got Masvidal winning this one,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. He won the first one. The first one was kind of a beatdown.

“Yeah, it was stopped with a cut, but the cut came because Masvidal was all over him. He was faster, he was more powerful, and he was more technical, and I do not see much changing.”

Masvidal, 39, will compete for the first time since retiring from MMA in April 2023. Diaz, 38, fell short in his boxing debut when he lost a unanimous decision to Jake Paul in a 10-round, 185-pound bout this past August.

“Nate Diaz isn’t a bad striker, but he’s a better jiu-jitsu guy,” Bisping added. “He’s a far better mixed martial artist. … He’s a boxer with jiu-jitsu but not the best boxer, not the fastest, not the quickest, and the version we saw against Jake Paul, he was a bit out of shape, as well. He struggled a little bit, and he did hit the canvas.”

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For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Diaz vs. Masvidal 2.

Video: Love or hate Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal boxing match set for June?

Our “Spinning Back Clique” discusses the pros and cons of the Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal rematch taking place in the boxing ring.

[autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] will meet again in combat sports.

Unlike the first meeting, which took place in the UFC’s octagon, the rematch will be in the boxing ring, isolating a specific martial art.

It goes down on June 1, which is a very busy weekend for combat sports. Not only does UFC 302 take place on that Saturday to grab the attention of MMA fans, but boxing fans will be wrapped up in an undisputed light heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

How are we feeling about the idea of Diaz and Masvidal clashing again, but in a different sport? Should this be going down on a different weekend? How does this second meeting play out?

Those were the questions asked about this matchup in this week’s “Spinning Back Clique” with Mike Bohn, Matthew Wells, Brian “Goze” Garcia and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and check out this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube or in podcast form.

Spinning Back Clique LIVE: Diaz-Masvidal boxing rematch, UFC 301’s main event, Jose Aldo’s return, Islam Makhachev speaks

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal 2, UFC 301’s headliner, the return of Jose Aldo, and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Mike Bohn, Matthew Wells and Brian “Goze” Garcia will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia, live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

  • [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] will run it back in June, but this time, the rivals will meet inside a boxing ring rather than an MMA cage. The former UFC mainstays will compete independently of the organization where they made their names and, in fact, will fight on the same night as UFC 302. The name power is there for this rematch between two of the more popular MMA fighters in recent memory, but should it have been in a cage like the first meeting?
  • [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] has his next flyweight title challenger: [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag]. UFC 301 has its headliner, and it’s a flyweight title fight that nobody saw coming. Pantoja gets the opportunity to defend his title on home soil, but the challenger in UFC-ranked No. 10 Erceg caught many, including several peers in his division, by surprise. Is this a case of perfect timing for Erceg, or there a larger message being sent to the division?
  • After walking away from the UFC after his 20th fight, to an instant Hall of Fame induction while dabbling in professional boxing, former featherweight king [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] is back. At UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, Aldo will return to action against Jonathan Martinez, adding some much-needed weight to a light pay-per-view event. More importantly, what should be expected of the 37-year-old Aldo in return to the UFC?
  • [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] crossed paths at a sports convention this past weekend. The viral moment saw the two heavyweights exchange respectful words in a face-to-face encounter. Aspinall, the heavyweight interim title holder, placed his hand on Jones’ shoulder, which prompted the UFC champ to immediately remove it before continuing with the brief interaction. You could feel the respect, and also the tension. Should the UFC change course here from Jones’ expected fight against Stipe Miocic and unify the UFC title next?
  • [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] spoke to MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, hitting on several interesting topics. Among them were the reasons for wanting Dustin Poirier to be his next title challenger, his thoughts on the BMF title fight between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway, and why he could not take on Leon Edwards in a champ vs. champ fight at UFC 300. What struck you the most about this interview with the UFC lightweight champion?

Colby Covington reacts to Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz boxing match: ‘Sloppy, old f*cking dudes’

Colby Covington ripped Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz after the announcement of their boxing match.

[autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] ripped [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] and [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] after the announcement of their boxing match.

Former UFC stars Masvidal and Diaz will square off in a 10-round, 175-pound boxing match June 1 at Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The bout will stream on Fanmiopay-per-view at a $79.99 price point ($49.99 for pre-orders through April 12).

Covington, Masvidal’s former foe, pulled no punches when reacting to the news of their fight.

“I mean, just two complete washouts of the UFC that are 40 years old should be in retirement homes,” Covington told Submission Radio. “They’re going to go out there, these sloppy, old f*cking dudes, like, they can’t perform in the UFC no more at this high elite level like me and at the top of the division. They both f*cking got 10 seconds of fame in the UFC, you know, living off these fights from 10 years ago. So, let them go do the thing. I mean, if the UFC is signing off on it, I’m all about whatever the UFC signs off on.

“I could care less about Jorge. He needs to stop talking to my big brother Chael though. Man, guys, that’s the real fight. Like, why is he talking to Chael? Everybody’s calling what I did to Jorge was the easiest fight of my life. I f*cking smacked that little scrub around and f*cking play with him. He’s my little b*tch, little brother. I mean, imagine my big brother, uncle Chael, the wrestling gangster, the biggest biceps in martial arts industry. Like, imagine if he got a hold of him. Chael would f*cking squash Jorge like a little f*cking bug.”

Covington scored a lopsided win over Masvidal in their grudge match in March 2022. Just a few weeks after, Masvidal was arrested for attacking Covington outside a Miami restaurant.

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‘Free Conor’: Nate Diaz advocates for Conor McGregor on St. Patrick’s Day

Nate Diaz defends his longtime rival Conor McGregor against UFC contract structure in a St. Patrick’s Day tweet.

Free [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag].

That’s the message [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] expressed Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, toward his longtime Irish rival.

“This was me for years before Conor even got here,” Diaz wrote on X. “They want u to die before u get out these contracts it’s up to u to make something pop no one gonna help you but you Free Conor it’s at pattys day in this b*tch.”

Diaz’s comments refer to McGregor’s continued public calls for a UFC return while doing media rounds for his upcoming film “Road House.” While McGregor has expressed interest in fighting, UFC CEO Dana White has repeatedly indicated McGregor’s wealth and the film have gotten in the way.

McGregor, 35, has not competed since a July 2021 leg break suffered in a fight vs. Dustin Poirier. He underwent extensive rehabilitation and removed himself from the UFC’s anti-doping testing pool. McGregor reentered the pool in October, with the promotion indicating he’d need to undergo six months of testing before his return.

Diaz, 38, became a free agent in November 2022. He boxed Jake Paul in August and lost a decision. He’ll return for another boxing match on June 1, this time vs. former UFC opponent Jorge Masvidal.

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Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz set for June 1 boxing match in Los Angeles

Former UFC stars Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal will run it back – but this time in the boxing ring.

It’s the 209 vs. the 305 all over again as [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] are set for a rematch – this time in boxing.

After weeks of a rumored showdown, it became official Wednesday. The two former UFC stars will box June 1 at Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The match will be a 10-round, 175-pound bout that will stream on Fanmio pay-per-view at a $79.99 price point ($49.99 for pre-orders through April 12).

Diaz and Masvidal first fought for the inaugural BMF title at UFC 244 in November 2019. The fight was stopped after the third round due to Diaz suffering a laceration.

“Nate’s a dead man walking,” Masvidal said in a statement. “I can’t wait to prove that last time was no fluke. He got saved by the referee. Now we are boxing, which he says is his forte, but he’s got no shot at beating me. I’m not going to give him an inch in that ring to even breathe. If he thought our MMA match was bad, this is going to be much worse.”

Diaz, 38, made his boxing debut in August when he lost a unanimous decision to Jake Paul in a 10-round, 185-pound bout. The match was his boxing debut and first combat sports competition since he departed the UFC in 2022.

Masvidal, 39, has yet to compete since his retirement from MMA in 2023. He’s largely contributed to the combat sports scene as a promoter with Gamebred Boxing and Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA.