There has been a wave of UFC fighters coming over to the boxing scene in recent years. Whether it was Conor McGregor facing off against Floyd Mayweather Jr. or the army of former UFC fighters Jake Paul took down, it’s becoming a trend. For Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal, that’s no different.
The two ex-MMA fighters had their fight moved from June 1 to July 6. The fight, which is taking place in Anaheim, California, was moved to avoid a scheduling conflict with UFC 302. Originally, the fight was set to take place at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.
With both fighters prepping for a new venue and date, let’s examine the two fighters. What is their history? How will the rivalry possibly transcend both the MMA and boxing worlds?
Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal
Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal have some history in the MMA world. In fact, it was the main event at UFC 244Â on November 2, 2019 in New York City. Masvidal knocked out Diaz in the third round, giving himself the upper hand on the MMA side.
But will things be different for both fighters on July 6? Diaz’s previous fight against Jake Paul ended in a unanimous decision loss, with the former MMA fighter debuting on August 5, 2023. As for Masvidal, this will be his first boxing match.
The verdict
However, Jorge Masvidal did appear in All Elite Wrestling on September 24, 2021. At AEW Grand Slam, Masvidal joined the American Top Team and attacked Chris Jericho and Jake Hager. While professional wrestling isn’t exactly boxing, Diaz’s adversary was getting physical.
As for the fight itself, it has the potential to be an underrated match. With both fighters ready to go at each other’s throats (or chests), fans from both worlds should get an incredible fight.
However, I can see Nate Diaz pulling off a victory here. Masvidal seems like he wants to go back into an MMA ring, which might prove to be a fatal distraction. But don’t be surprised if that isn’t the case and the Miami native takes care of Diaz.
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Jacob Walters is a boxing/MMA writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @IceColdWJacob
