Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal, two of the biggest names of recent times in MMA, will settle their simmering feud on June 1 when they box in a 10-round light heavyweight pay-per-view bout at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
Their rivalry extends to their days in the UFC, when they met for the-then newly created BMF title in the main event of UFC 244 on Nov. 2, 2019, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Masvidal won that bout when the doctor stopped the bout after three because of cuts Diaz suffered.
Diaz has wanted a rematch ever since. The bout will be promoted by Fanmio, in association with Diaz's Real Fight Inc. and Masvidal's Gamebred Boxing.
Both fighters will receive lucrative guarantees and will get a piece of the PPV revenues. Plans are for a multi-city promotional tour. Fanmio is offering the fight at a discounted price of $49.99 until April 12. After that, it goes up to $79.99.
"Nate’s a dead man walking,” said Masvidal, who ended retirement to face Diaz. “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. I’m going to drown him. I want to put away any talk that him and I are the same, or that the referee saved the day. All of that talk ends June 1. Violence and throwing hands are in both of our bloods but as I proved before, I’m a far superior athlete and I’m a meaner fighter. When June 1 comes I’ll put all unanswered questions to rest, live for the world to see."
Both men have boxed once previously. Diaz lost a 10-round decision to Jake Paul on Aug. 5 in Dallas, while Masvidal won a unanimous decision over Joseph Benjamin on June 28, 2005. In MMA, Diaz is 21-13, including 16-11 in the UFC. Masvidal is 35-17 in MMA including 12-10 in the UFC.
