Nate Diaz didn’t chase the biggest paycheck. He chased the right fight. In a surprising twist, Diaz revealed he turned down a more lucrative offer from the UFC to instead compete in Netflix’s debut MMA event on May 16 where he’ll face Mike Perry under the Most Valuable Promotions banner.
UFC CEO Dana White previously suggested Diaz left for a better financial offer.
But Diaz told a different story. “I had bigger offers from the UFC than I got from these guys,” Diaz said. “But the offers, the opponents, weren’t the right opponents.”
For Diaz, timing not money made the decision.
Why Diaz Rejected McGregor Trilogy
The UFC’s plan was clear: A trilogy fight with Conor McGregor. But Diaz wasn’t interested at least not right now.
His reasoning:
- McGregor is coming off losses and injury
- The timing didn’t feel right competitively
- He didn’t want to fight him under those circumstances
“I want to fight the best of the best when they’re the best,” Diaz said.
Diaz Wanted Oliveira Instead
If Diaz was going to return to the UFC, he had a different opponent in mind: Charles Oliveira, the former champion recently captured the BMF title a belt Diaz originally introduced in 2019.
That made it personal.
“I’m like, ‘You’re rocking my belt… what’s up?’” Diaz said.
Why Mike Perry Made Sense
Instead of waiting on the UFC, Diaz saw a different opportunity. Mike Perry, who has rebuilt his career outside the UFC, has become one of combat sports’ most violent and entertaining figures.
Since leaving the UFC, Perry has:
- Dominated bare-knuckle boxing
- Defeated names like Michael Page and Eddie Alvarez
- Built his own brand as the “King of Violence”
For Diaz, that was the kind of fight worth taking.
“That sounds a lot more… I’m more enthusiastic about getting up and training for this,” Diaz said.
McGregor Trilogy Still Alive?
Despite turning it down now, Diaz hasn’t closed the door on McGregor. He believes the trilogy will happen just at the right time. Not rushed. Not forced. Not for the wrong reasons.
Nate Diaz had a bigger offer on the table. He walked away from it anyway. Because for Diaz, this was never about chasing the bag it was about chasing the moment. And right now… That moment is Mike Perry on Netflix.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
