Nate Diaz says he passed on a lucrative UFC offer for a trilogy fight with Conor McGregor in favor of a one-fight deal against Mike Perry under Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions.
Diaz opted to face Perry on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card rather than sign a new multi-fight agreement with the UFC, citing a lack of appealing options inside the promotion and not wanting to be part of McGregor’s “comeback motherf*cking story.”
“I was just weighing out my options and I thought it was the best option for the time, for the moment,” Diaz said, adding praise for Paul’s role outside the Octagon. “He’s the biggest name outside the UFC doing things, like how I’m trying to do.”
“That’s what fighters should be doing and we can set an example like I was already trying to do but it takes two to tango and there’s not much out there. Not to mention, they got the Netflix combined with it so that’s a two-for-one.”
Diaz, who became a free agent after submitting Tony Ferguson in 2022 to finish his UFC contract, described his current stance toward the promotion as respectful but distant. “I think we have a good relationship,” he said. “It’s business and they’ve got [their own show] but I did too much to get out, too much while I was in to get out and it’s kind of hard to just jump back in when there’s not much on the inside for me at the moment.”
