Nate Diaz’s return to mixed martial arts has been confirmed, with the announcement seemingly putting to bed any hopes of the American fighting his rival Conor McGregor this summer.
It has been revealed that Diaz will face fellow UFC veteran Mike Perry on 16 May, as the pair clash on the undercard of Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano.
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The main event sees UFC legend Rousey fight for the first time in 10 years, while her opponent Carano – another pioneer of women’s MMA – competes for the first time since 2009. Also on the card in Inglewood, California, former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou will fight Philipe Lins.
Conor McGregor (left) and Nate Diaz during their second meeting (Getty Images)
Now the event, organised by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), has seen another major addition in the form of Diaz vs Perry. The five-round welterweight contest will be Diaz’s first MMA fight since 2022, when he exited the UFC with a submission win over Tony Ferguson.
Diaz, 40, has since boxed twice, outpointing former UFC rival Jorge Masvidal in 2024 after losing a decision to Paul in 2023 – having been dropped by the influencer during their bout. American Perry, 34, also boxed Paul, suffering a stoppage defeat in 2024.
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“Glad to be back in action, it’s time,” said Diaz via a press release on Monday. “Don’t forget where this all came from. I got plans on doing a lot more in the next 10 years, no matter where it is.
“Time to set the bar again, so get ready for a new takeover again and again until the end of time.”
Many fans will hope Diaz’s words “no matter where it is” mean a UFC return is on the cards someday. But the timing of his upcoming fight almost certainly rules out a trilogy bout with McGregor this summer.
Given McGregor will not feature on the UFC’s unprecedented White House card, which is set for 14 June, it is thought he could headline a UFC event on International Fight Week – specifically on 11 July.
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And after fans expressed disappointment in the quality of the UFC’s White House card, some feel that the promotion needs a major fight for the Irishman this summer. With that in mind, a seismic, long-awaited trilogy bout with Diaz has been mooted.
Mike Perry (right) in a 2024 stoppage loss to Jake Paul in the boxing ring (EPA)
That now seems extremely unlikely to materialise, however.
McGregor, 37, last fought in July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in a second straight loss to Dustin Poirier. The former champion previously faced Diaz twice, losing to him via submission in March 2016 but winning their rematch on points five months later.
In recent times, McGregor has actually entertained the prospect of a fight with Diaz’s next opponent, Perry, in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. In 2024, McGregor became a part-owner of the promotion, where Perry is an unbeaten champion.
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In the UFC, however, Perry’s record was less impressive at 7-8 between 2016 and 2021. Similarly, Diaz’s was patchy at 16-11.
McGregor, meanwhile, is 10-4 in the UFC and is a former featherweight and lightweight champion. He was the UFC’s first-ever dual-weight champion.
