Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Nate Diaz will face Jorge Masvidal this Saturday night (Nov. 2, 2019) in the main event of UFC 244 inside Madison Square Garden in New York City for the “BMF” title on ESPN+. The five-round Welterweight bout will be Nate’s second fight in three months after sitting out for two years.
In his previous bout, the Stockton slugger faced Anthony Pettis in the co-main event of UFC 241 on Aug. 17 in Anaheim, Calif., his first contest since losing to Conor McGregor in August of 2016.
Nate and Pettis had some history going into the fight, but it wasn’t really “beef,” as the tension wasn’t as thick as some expected, perhaps because any tension between them died down over the years.
Once the bell rang, it was evident that both men were content with letting the action play out on the feet, as their respective striking attack is what has allowed each man to make a living, though Nate’s ground game is just as dangerous. Still, Nate’s standup game isn’t exactly the cleanest or pretties, but it is very effective, as his punches in bunches has always given people problems.
Nate’s clinch games, however, has always been underrated, as he used it to perfection to get in some dirty boxing and a couple of knees to the face of Pettis. At the end of three rounds, Nate showed that ring rust is indeed a myth, as he won a clear-cut decision over “Showtime,” who revealed a broken foot after the bout.
After shooting his shot and calling for a “gangster vs gangster” fight against Jorge Masvidal, Diaz got his fight, as the “title fight” was booked to headline the promotions return to MSG. A win for either man here will not only earn them some new hardware valued at $50,000, but will likely secure him a shot at the 170-pound strap.
To see the entire UFC 244: “Diaz vs Masvidal” fight card click here.