Nate Diaz may have landed the bout, but he wasn’t the only name in the frame to face ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry on May 16.
The Stockton fighter is set to make his MMA comeback after nearly four years, and it’s happening at Netflix’s first-ever live event. Diaz last fought in the UFC back in September 2022 when he picked up a submission win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 before stepping away to explore opportunities outside of the Octagon.
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Before Ronda Rousey headlines against Gina Carano next month, Diaz will be among the top names on an undercard filled with recognisable faces at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.
Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions did consider other names for Perry before settling on Diaz.
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Dong Hyun Kim reveals he was in line to face Mike Perry
Dong Hyun Kim, the former UFC welterweight, recently shared on his YouTube channel that he was close to taking part in the inaugural Netflix event.
Kim, who hasn’t fought since his defeat to Colby Covington in 2017, walked away from the sport with a 22-4-1 record. That loss snapped a three-fight win streak and ended his career on a rare rough patch.
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He holds a decision win over Diaz from their bout at UFC 125 back in 2011 and was initially lined up as Mike Perry’s opponent for May 16.
The YouTube video seemed to be styled after UFC’s ‘Embedded’ series, following Kim through his training camp and included footage of him discussing the fight with Nakisa Bidarian.
The MVP co-founder presented the matchup to Kim, who appeared eager to take on any challenge for what would have been his first fight in nearly a decade.
The fight ultimately fell through due either to visa issues or perhaps because of Nate Diaz becoming available. According to a comment Kim left under the video, he’d already been training for two weeks before hearing it was off, adding another layer of frustration for fans who’d hoped for his return.
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In addition to beating Diaz, ‘Stun Gun’ also shared the cage with Demian Maia, Carlos Condit, John Hathaway, and Matt Brown during his time in the UFC. He picked up two ‘Knockout of the Night’ bonuses along the way.
Kim retired at age 35 following his loss to Covington and later appeared on Physical: 100, a Korean reality show where athletes compete across various strength-based challenges for a prize worth about $240,000.
He returned for Physical: Asia, which aired in January and February this year alongside familiar names like Robert Whittaker and Yushin Okami. Manny Pacquiao also made an appearance.
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