Nate Diaz and Mike Perry will clash in a five-round, 170-pound MMA fight on the undercard of Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano. The event takes place May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Diaz, known for his pressure-heavy style and outspoken personality, said he’s excited to return to competition and plans to remain active for years to come, aiming to reset the standard every time he fights. A fan favorite, Diaz twice faced Conor McGregor in the UFC, winning their first meeting and losing the rematch.
Perry, another former UFC welterweight, enters the bout after a high-profile crossover boxing loss to Jake Paul, who is promoting this card. Perry has promoted himself as a violent, finish-oriented fighter and framed this fight as his return to MMA.
The matchup joins a stacked fight card that also features Rousey’s comeback against Carano and Francis Ngannou’s bout with Brazil’s Phillipe Lins. Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions, said the company previously delivered the most-viewed boxing event since cable and expects to challenge MMA viewership records with this lineup.
Bidarian added that the Diaz–Perry fight will be intense from the first press conference through fight night, calling May 16 a massive night for combat sports as the promotion builds global events.
Fans can expect a heated, high-energy fight between two experienced, hard-hitting former UFC competitors on one of the year’s most talked-about cards.