Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal are set to face off again, but this time, it won’t be inside the Octagon. Diaz’s contract with the UFC expired in November 2022, and they will now settle scores in a boxing ring. Masvidal had strong words about his opponent’s boxing skills: “From what I saw in his fight against Jake Paul, I feel like Diaz is very underrated. It doesn’t change. He just comes forward and tries to slow guys down. This is a wrestling match, and he will match me. July 6 will prove that I am a firm student of this game.” The longtime rivals meet at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California for a 10-round lightweight heavyweight bout. Diaz will seek revenge for a loss at UFC 244 in 2019, which cost him his “baddest motherf**ker” belt.
Past Wrestling Tournaments
In the final round, Nate Diaz and Jake Paul went the distance. Despite showing great value, the young boxer outplayed Diaz, scoring in the fifth round to win by unanimous decision. Diaz’s performance showcased his toughness and endurance, but Paul’s youth and speed ultimately gave him the win. Meanwhile, Masvidal’s last boxing fight was against Joseph Benjamin in 2005, which he won via majority decision. Although it has been a long time since Masvidal entered boxing, his experience and knowledge of the fight game make this an interesting match with equal competition in the upcoming fight as both are out of boxing little experience.
Purse Breaking War
Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. and Masvidal’s Gamebred Boxing will jointly promote the paid boxing event. According to SportsSalaries.com , they are each guaranteed to split purses of $500,000. But that’s not all. Taking into account share of PPV sales, sponsorship revenue and discretionary bonuses, Diaz and Mas Vidal are expected to earn more than six figures but the exact allocation of PPV revenue has not been disclosed. The financial success of the event will depend heavily on PPV buys. The fight was rescheduled from June 1st to July 6th to avoid competition with UFC 302 and Queensbury vs. UFC. Matchroom Boxing 5vs.5 action will be.
UFC 244 Revenue
Diaz and Masvidal fought for the first BMF title in the 2019 UFC 244 main event at Madison Square Garden. Masvidal dominated, using power combinations, angles and head kicks to punish Diaz. Masvidal’s elbow opened a cut above Diaz’s right eye, prompting the ringside doctor to stop the fight, giving Masvidal the TKO victory. “Obviously when you put on an event, you want a definite, impressive finish, but you don’t always get that,” said UFC President Dana White. Despite losing the BMF title, Diaz received a guaranteed fight purse of $500,000, the same as Masvidal. In terms of points paid per capita, both fighters may have earned significantly more money.
What might happen in the future
In the upcoming fight, Diaz has a chance to avenge his UFC 244 loss. Hopefully this time the boxing ring will give them a clear win to settle their score. Although Masvidal still has a contract with the UFC that expires in 2022, he is allowed to fight. He doesn’t rule out a possible UFC comeback fight after announcing his retirement following his loss to Gilbert Burns. Meanwhile, Diaz was eyeing a return to the UFC at the UFC 300 event but was unable to finalize a deal with Dana White. For now, Diaz is an independent pursuing profitable fights in the boxing ring or the Octagon. The 39-year-old UFC champion has said repeatedly that he would be willing to fight any of the biggest stars in combat sports, even if the money was right.
