“It’s a Loseable Fight”: Why Nate Diaz Will Avoid Jake Paul MMA Fight, UFC Veteran Explains
Jake Paul has put Nate Diaz at the top of his MMA wish list after MVP’s merger with the PFL, but Dan Hardy is far from convinced the Stockton veteran will accept the fight. Hardy believes Diaz would face more risk in a cage rematch than many fans expect.
Paul said he wants the Diaz fight “very, very bad” as he prepares for an MMA debut under the MVP MMA banner, with Mike Perry also on his list. The 29-year-old said discussions with Diaz have continued for some time, but the new merger has made the potential matchup feel more realistic.
Dan Hardy Questions Nate Diaz Matchup With Jake Paul in MMA
The proposed fight would flip the script from their August 2023 boxing match in Dallas. Jake Paul won that 10-round contest by unanimous decision, scoring cards of 97-92, 98-91 and 98-91 after dropping Diaz in the fifth round. Diaz absorbed heavy moments, rallied through the later stages and reached the final bell in his professional boxing debut.
Paul had called for an MMA fight immediately after that win, while Diaz indicated he would consider it if his Real Fight Inc. promotion was involved. Three years later, Paul now has a platform built for the crossover: MVP and PFL are set to combine, with the PFL brand expected to transition into MVP MMA in 2027.
Hardy, the former UFC welterweight contender and longtime MMA analyst who called Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz in boxing, said he doubts Diaz would agree to the return bout regardless of the offer.
“I don’t think for any amount of money Nate is going to take that fight,” Hardy said. “Call me crazy. It’s a loseable fight for Nate Diaz.”
Hardy based much of that view on what he saw at ringside in Dallas. “Not a single thing Nate threw at Jake when they boxed hurt him,” Hardy said, speaking with Mike Bohn. “Jake had power and speed, and Nate didn’t have any.”
Nate has made his name through pace, pressure and an active submission game across a professional MMA career that began in 2004. Hardy said the Diaz brothers’ formula often involved overwhelming opponents with strikes until they folded or changed levels into grappling exchanges.
But Hardy questioned whether Diaz could create that sequence against Jake Paul. “I’m not sure Nate has the boxing power to be able to put Jake into a position where he would level change into a ground game,” Hardy said. “With the damage Nate has now, I’m not sure he would be able to withstand too many punches from Jake with MMA gloves on.”
Hardy suggested Mike Perry may be a more fitting MMA debut opponent for Paul, provided Perry gets past Dillon Danis in their upcoming fight. He described Perry as a willing striker who would not force Paul into a grappling-heavy contest, while cautioning that Paul should be matched near middleweight or light heavyweight rather than against someone like Francis Ngannou.
For now, Paul has made his preference clear: “Yeah, Nate Diaz. Mike Perry would be great.” Whether Diaz sees the MMA rematch as a chance to settle old business, or an unnecessary gamble after their boxing result, is the question hanging over MVP MMA’s first major crossover fight.
