B/R's 4 Fight Ideas for Nate Diaz's Next Opponent

Nate Diaz's days at the top of the combat sports world may be over.

After a pair of boxing matches against Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal, the 41-year-old cult hero of combat sports returned to MMA in the penultimate bout of Saturday's blockbuster Rousey vs. Carano card on Netflix. His opponent was bare-knuckle slugger and fellow UFC veteran "Platinum" Mike Perry, who seemingly had all the tools to win their fight in a violent fashion—and that's exactly what happened. Instead, from the opening bell, Perry was pushing forward, throwing fight-ending shots without relent. By the time the third round was set to begin, the fight was waved off. Diaz was too battered and more notably too bloody to continue.

It was a terrible moment for Diaz fans everywhere, and unfortunately, it leaves him with very few viable options going forward.

Diaz's next move will depend a lot on what his management—who must be given credit for the opportunities they've found for him in recent years—can make happen. Given his proven star power, Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix may well call on him again, in which case his opponent would have to be another free agent, or somebody like Perry, who was allowed to step away from his BKFC contract for Saturday's card. However, UFC CEO Dana White has also repeatedly stated that Diaz will always be welcome back to the Octagon. White has been known to fib, so that may not be entirely accurate, but the door is seemingly still open for Diaz to saunter back to the Octagon if he so chooses.

Whatever the future holds, here are our top picks for Diaz's next opponent, framed as who it "Could Be" and "Probably Will Be," who we "Wish It Would Be," and lastly, the choice that would "Break the Internet."

Who It Could Be: Jake Paul 

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Nate Diaz's first fight after parting ways with the UFC was a boxing match with Jake Paul, who happens to be one of the promoters of Saturday's big MMA card on Netflix. Diaz ultimately lost the fight by decision, but that's understandable. The odds were stacked against him. Not only was the former UFC lightweight much smaller than Paul, who recently boxed Anthony Joshua at heavyweight, but he was also deprived of many of his best weapons, namely his jiu-jitsu.

Since Diaz lost to Paul in the boxing ring, there has been frequent talk of a rematch under MMA rules. Paul himself allegedly tried to make it happen in the PFL cage at some point, but Diaz, who spent years in the UFC, was unwilling to compete in what he deemed a lesser MMA promotion, and so it never happened.

Today, when Diaz is fresh off a brutal loss to Perry on Netflix, and Paul is looking for a chance to rebound from a brutal boxing loss to Joshua, this bizarre MMA matchup suddenly seems quite plausible.

Make no mistake: this fight hinges on Paul accepting the offer, but there's little chance he would. For all his trash talk and all the skill he's developed as a boxer, he would be grotesquely outmatched against Diaz under MMA rules. That being said, even Paul's most steadfast haters must admit he is open to a tough challenge. He wouldn't have boxed Joshua otherwise. Therefore, there is definitely a chance he would agree to fight Diaz in MMA—despite being a novice in jiu jitsu, wrestling, kickboxing, and nearly every other skill that is relevant to the ruleset.

It's not the most likely option for Diaz's next fight, but it also wouldn't be a surprise.

Who It Probably Will Be: Jorge Masvidal 

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Since Nate Diaz parted ways with the UFC, company CEO Dana White has repeatedly said he'd always be welcome back.

"This is always gonna to be his house," is probably White's most famous line on the subject.

On the surface, White's clear adoration for Diaz bodes well for the possibility of a reunion between the two. However, it's important we be realistic. White made the remark above more than three years ago, when Diaz was still in his 30s. White is also a notorious fibber, which means his promises should always be taken with a grain of salt—or less. In other words, the chances of Diaz actually returning to the UFC are very slim. After his loss to Perry, they're slimmer than ever. As such, his frequent talk about doing so frankly comes across as totally naive.

Speaking of naivety, let's talk about Jorge Masvidal.

Masvidal left the UFC on a far worse streak than Diaz, but also claims it's a matter of time before he's invited back to the promotion. This may be what his managers are telling him, but it's obviously not happening. He's simply too old, and has not given any indication he's still a UFC-level fighter in years.

You can see where this is going. Diaz and Masvidal are two of the biggest MMA stars outside the UFC, and despite all their optimism about returning to the promotion, it's probably not going to happen for either of them. Luckily, they have each other and a score to settle.

Diaz and Masvidal have fought twice before. Their first meeting occurred in the Octagon in 2017, with the first-ever iteration of the UFC's now infamous "BMF" title on the line. Masvidal came out on top in that contest, winning by doctor stoppage after cutting his rival open. Years later, in the summer of 2024, the two enigmatic stars met again, this time under boxing rules. The second time around, Diaz won by decision, despite odds that strongly suggested a different result.

That means Diaz and Masvidal are now 1-1, and both are clinging to UFC dreams that will likely never come true. Provided both men can accept the reality, it's probably a matter of time before some upstart promoter decides to book them for a trilogy fight, whether it's under MMA or boxing rules.

It's not a fight either guy has been asking for, and certainly not one the fans have been clamoring for, but it's one of the most likely options under the circumstances.

Let's just hope they both get paid this time around.

Who We Wish It Would Be: Conor McGregor 

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The biggest fight for Nate Diaz is always going to be a tie-breaking trilogy match with Conor McGregor. The two fighters are among the biggest stars in UFC history, and famously split their first two fights a win apiece.

Their first meeting occurred in March of 2016, when McGregor was fresh off a stunning featherweight title win against Jose Aldo, and seemed just about unbeatable. The Irishman had originally been set to fight Rafael dos Anjos for the lightweight belt at the time, but when dos Anjos withdrew, Diaz agreed to step in on just 11 days' notice, and in one of the most dramatic moments in UFC history, won by submission.

McGregor and Diaz fought again later the same year, in August. The second time around, there was no decisive stoppage win for either man. Instead, they engaged in an absolutely unforgettable five-round war, with McGregor ultimately winning a majority decision.

There has been cause for a McGregor vs. Diaz trilogy fight since the moment they both left the cage that August night. Surprisingly, however, it has not happened yet.

In 2026, when Diaz has spent years competing outside the UFC and McGregor is set to return to face Max Holloway, the chances that the two fighters will meet again seem low. However, their history means it's always possible, whether McGregor beats Holloway or not.

There's no guarantee it will happen, but hopefully, it does. It would be a shame if either guy retired before this rivalry is put to bed.

What Would Break the Internet: Dustin Poirier

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Conor McGregor is clearly Nate Diaz's biggest rival in combat sports, but there is a fairly close second: Dustin Poirier.

Interestingly, Diaz and Poirier have never fought before. The pair were briefly set to meet in 2017, and even had some pre-fight face-offs in anticipation of their scrap, but eventually it fell through, and years later, it's still not totally clear what happened.

What is clear is that Poirier, one of the greatest lightweights in MMA history, still wants the fight.

Poirier retired last summer, following a decision loss to Max Holloway in his home state of Louisiana. While he's been very adamant that he has no plans to return to competition, he's also conceded that there's one fight he'd return for: a clash with Diaz.

"Man, I still want to whip Nate's ass," Poirier said on UFC on Paramount+ recently. "I'll come back to fight him because it got away, and he lied, and the fans were on his side. The UFC knew I was going to fight Nate in our first matchup at Madison Square Garden, but Nate was having trouble with his negotiation. I don't know what was going on, but UFC called me and said, 'Hey, we want to keep you on the Madison Square Garden card. Would you fight so-and-so?'

"They started offering me other people, and I said, 'Listen, if it's not Nate, I'm not fighting. I'm going to go and have my hip taken care of. If it's Nate, I'll fight.' It wasn't Nate."

Diaz has recently expressed disinterest in a fight with Poirier, and after co-starring on Netflix on Saturday, he may still feel like the matchup below him, but after his brutal loss to Perry, he's not really in a position to call his shots.

Hopefully, he changes his tune, and somebody can make this fight, whether it's the UFC, Netflix, or somebody else.