Watch: Mike Perry did backflips, Nate Diaz smoked weed at MVP open workouts
Mike Perry and Nate Diaz offered contrasting spectacles during their open workout at Venice Beach on Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s MVP 1 card on Netflix, with Perry bringing high-intensity athleticism while Diaz kept things minimal.
Mike Perry puts on a show while Nate Diaz does nothing at Venice Beach open workouts
Perry’s performance at the open workout showcased the kind of energy fans have come to expect from the fighter known as “Platinum.” The former bare knuckle boxing champion cycled through cardio work at pace, breaking into dance moves and backflips for the gathered crowd at Venice Beach basketball courts.
Perry even acknowledged he was running at full speed during the session, noting afterward that he still needed another workout to make weight for the five-round welterweight bout.
Diaz took the opposite route. The Stockton veteran showed up to the workout but made his intentions clear from the outset: he had no interest in training in front of fans and media. Rather than running combinations or cutting weight, Diaz walked around the venue, appearing unhurried and unbothered. He did make time to acknowledge Ronda Rousey, the UFC legend headlining the card, and engage briefly with fans, but his workout consisted of smoking weed rather than perspiration.
The contrast proved telling about how each fighter approaches fight week. Perry’s pace and visible conditioning work contrasted with Diaz‘s measured demeanor, by comparison, suggests a fighter comfortable with where he stands and uninterested in proving anything during promotional appearances.
The two will settle their rivalry on Saturday night at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, fighting in a five-round welterweight matchup as part of MVP’s inaugural MMA event on Netflix. Perry made his own name through striking ability and competitive drive during his UFC tenure before transitioning to bare knuckle boxing. Diaz, meanwhile, remains one of combat sports’ most polarizing figures.
