Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz: Who You Got?
How many more times do we, as professional mixed martial arts fans, have to pick against Jake Paul and get our hearts broken? Is it time to finally step up and agree that aging, semi-retired octagon warriors just aren’t cut out to contend with a young and confident boxer that’s now dedicated the past five years of his life to stepping into the squared circle?
Honestly, I’m tired of making predictions in Jake Paul‘s fights. From Askren to Woodley, that was upsetting enough, but Anderson Silva says it isn’t so!
Instead of making another biased pick, let’s preview what those within the industry believe the outcome of the August 5th 12-round boxing bout between Jake Paul and Nate Diaz will be.
Jake Paul confirms his fight vs Nate Diaz will be 10 rounds 😳 pic.twitter.com/dHGlhmYCWs
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunchPromo) June 20, 2023
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Dustin Poirier predicts Paul vs. Diaz.
During a recent episode of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, former UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier expressed his belief that Paul owns an advantage over Diaz.
“Man, Jake’s younger, bigger, faster. It’s not an easy fight.”, Poirier commented.
“Just because Nate’s a grizzled veteran with the right experience, and Jake’s a new guy who’s on YouTube… He’s got the money and the amenities to surround himself with the best people and dedicate himself to fighting, and he’s younger and more explosive.
“And I think Diaz’s boxing is good for MMA; it’s completely different.”
When one of your fellow MMA brethren is doubting the chances of Diaz, surely, we must rush to the bookmakers and lay money on Paul, right?
Wrong! The -300 price on Paul isn’t worth the risk, but bettors shouldn’t be entirely deterred. Elevate your MMA experience! Join the excitement and be part of the winning action with Betway Sportsbook Ohio, your premier hub for MMA enthusiasts. And if you disagree with Poirier, there’s an attractive price on Diaz to cause an upset.
One man who believes an upset is on the horizon is a former foe of Diaz, the Irish MMA superstar Conor McGregor.
Conor McGregor predicts Paul vs. Diaz.
The former two-division UFC champion has backed his former nemesis to “slap the head off” Paul in their upcoming fight.
When commenting on the Diaz/Paul bout, McGregor said: “I think Nate Diaz slaps the head of him [Paul], and I look forward to seeing it!”
Given the fact that Diaz submitted Conor via rear naked choke, and the consistent trolling Paul has aimed toward McGregor in the past, this prediction from the Irishman isn’t surprising. Would he really say it even if he believed Paul stood a chance?
Anderson Silva predicts Paul vs. Diaz.
Perhaps McGregor is onto something, and the next prediction is from a man that’s stood toe-to-toe with Paul and the brother of Nate, Nick Diaz.
Anderson Silva is in a huge disagreement with the bookmakers and believes Diaz is the rightful favorite. The Spider said: “Jake has a good coach; he’s very smart. The fight is not about power, it’s about timing, and both have good timing. Jake has some good boxing experience and is learning every day, but Nate is a beast! When you go to fight him, you need to prepare for war. I think he has more experience and is the favorite.”
John McCarthy believes Diaz will be a tough fight for Paul
John McCarthy, a former long-time serving referee for the UFC and respected critic in the MMA world, recently expressed his thoughts in a recent episode of the ‘Weighing In’ podcast with co-host Josh Thompson: “Jake Paul can beat him [Diaz]. He can knock him out, but it isn’t gonna be easy. He’s gotta hit him with the right shot.”
In contrast, the veteran ref highlighted the cardio of Diaz and how it could become a crucial element in the bout. “Nate gets a beautiful ten seconds to get his a** up, well nine, to get up, and then you’ll get a couple more seconds… That’s the time that Nate normally doesn’t get if he gets rocked. He will be getting [time], which will only help him,” McCarthy added.
And while McCarthy didn’t give a direct prediction, the tone of his conversation regarding the topic naturally swayed in Diaz’s favor.
We have a veteran fighter versus a youngster with boxing experience. It guarantees to be a thrilling event for mainstream fans of the sport, and we’ll have to see how the outcome plays out.
