Earlier in the year, Nate Diaz was in talks to potentially return to the UFC for a trilogy match with Conor McGregor, but the Stockton native chose a bout versus Mike Perry under the MVP banner instead.
Ultimately, Diaz’s decision to fight with Most Valuable Promotions against BKFC champion Mike Perry over his return to the UFC sounded as though it came down to money and contract stipulations. But if you ask Mike Perry, he tells a very different side of the story.
Nate Diaz last competed in MMA back in 2022 when he defeated Tony Ferguson by way of a guillotine choke in the fourth round of their UFC 279 contest. Following his time in the UFC, he took on boxing matches with both Jake Paul and former UFC rival Jorge Masvidal, the latter of which he won by decision.
Meanwhile, Perry moved on to the BKFC almost immediately after his time with the UFC came to an end in 2021. He currently finds himself on a 6-0 run inside the promotion and is the inaugural and reigning “King of Violence” champion.
During a conversation with the media after this week’s pre-fight presser for MVP MMA 1: Rousey vs. Carano, which is scheduled for May 16th, Mike Perry alluded to the fact that McGregor is not an interesting matchup for Diaz at this point in their careers, and feels he can be credited with stealing that fight from the Irishman and the UFC.
āIt feels great; I kind of snatched that one from under McGregor,ā Perry said. āIāve been over there at bareknuckle getting all the fights while heās been talking on the sidelines, not fighting anybody, trying to piggyback off my hard work. So the fact that I took out the trilogy.
Nate didnāt want to fight a dangerous weakling like McGregor. He said heās on one f*cking leg. He said heās either out of the door or heās going to revitalize his career by stepping back in there and beating on somebody. Iām not worried about that. Iām looking to beat Nate and then get all the opportunities that come with that.ā
(h/t MMA Junkie)