Jorge Masvidal has some issues with Nate Diaz.
On June 1, Masvidal and Diaz face off in a 10-round boxing match on the Kia Discussion board in Los Angeles. The bout was rumored for a while however solely got here collectively formally in March, and in accordance with Masvidal, loads of that was attributable to problem in negotiating with Diaz.
“At one level, as a result of Vegas was booked out, loads of locations had been booked out, New York was a robust chance and he was like, ‘I received’t combat if it’s in New York. I received’t combat.’ I used to be like, what the f***?” Masvidal mentioned Monday on The MMA Hour. “What’s the meat? That is boxing. That was in MMA [where] you bought your ass whooped. However I get it. Alright.
“Then one other diva second, he mentioned he additionally wouldn’t combat if the combat’s in Miami. ‘I’m not combating if it’s in Miami.’ OK, cool. ‘Properly, final time I had a foul expertise with my boxing match in Texas, so I’m not combating in Texas.’ What the f***?! To e book a venue of that magnitude, it’s not like it could possibly occur in per week or a weekend. It occurs months prematurely. … So all these issues and it’s like, dude, I’m simply making an attempt to f****** combat. What are you making an attempt to do? It may have been in April in a distinct place, however this dude wasn’t making an attempt to do it, in order that simply felt very diva-ish.”
These aren’t the one points Masvidal has with Diaz, although.
The 2 initially fought one another for the inaugural “BMF” title combat at UFC 244 in 2019, and Masvidal received by physician stoppage on the finish of the third spherical. However regardless of his victory, Masvidal says Diaz is demanding A-side remedy from the promotion.
“Then different issues that hold dropping within the press which might be all on the contract facet,” Masvidal defined. “Like, it’s ‘Nate Diaz-Masvidal.’ Properly, I rattling practically killed you, so meaning I’m imagined to get these little privileges. It’s imagined to say Masvidal [first]. However as an alternative of making an attempt to barter, he’s like, ‘I’m not combating if it’s not like that.’ So the promoter is getting again to me, telling me, ‘There’s no budging there. He’s simply not going to combat. He says he’ll simply transfer on and go combat any person else.’ Bro, do you need to combat? I’ve obtained quite a few different [examples of] motives to not combat. So it simply makes me query, possibly he don’t need this warmth, bro.
“Needed his title first, walkout second, on the weigh-ins he has to weigh in final,” Masvidal continued. “Brother, you didn’t win the final combat. What the f*** are you speaking about? Lots of me was like, ‘Eff that.’ As a result of there was a giant probability the combat was going to be in Miami, I used to be actually pushing for Miami — clearly I did so effectively there within the UFC — and Nate was like, ‘I’m not going to combat in Miami. I’m not going to combat in Miami.’ And I’ve to stroll out first? Is that this man r*******? How would you stroll out final in my metropolis? I’m not going to stroll out first in my metropolis in opposition to you. I already mopped you up. So this stuff are making me query his f****** motives. Do you need to scrap or what, bro?”
In the end, Masvidal mentioned he agreed to Diaz’s phrases as a result of he “needs to f****** beat his ass” and Diaz’s calls for are fairly minor. There’s one factor, although, that actually did hassle Masvidal: The date.
Diaz vs. Masvidal takes place on the identical day as UFC 302, headlined by a light-weight title combat between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier. Masvidal believes counter-programming the UFC with a pay-per-view occasion just isn’t the perfect thought, and given what he and Diaz each stand to make as a part of the promotion, that is the purpose that angered Masvidal essentially the most.
“Even with this date, we may have pushed it again per week as soon as the UFC introduced they’re going to go June 1,” Masvidal mentioned. “And I used to be prepared to go Memorial [Day] weekend, the weekend earlier than, however he was like, ‘No, I already introduced on my Instagram we’re combating on today. I don’t give a f*** in regards to the UFC, we’ll go head-to-head with them.’ That’s simply not good enterprise. I’m a f****** promoter, he claims to be a promoter — that’s simply not good enterprise. There’s completely nothing that weekend, we may take over that weekend.
“I’m making an attempt to promote pay-per-views. I lastly carved one thing good out for myself the place I’m getting a very good quantity of the pay-per-view, boxing fashion. I’ve an incredible assure, however the again finish could possibly be method greater than the assure, so why not go when there’s completely nothing? However this dude is like, ‘I’m not employed by the UFC, I don’t give a f*** in regards to the UFC, we’ll go head-to-head with them.’ That is silly to me. That is dangerous enterprise. So for all these causes, I’m a bit further amped up, as a result of now you’re f****** with my pockets on prime of it. I don’t need to go in opposition to the UFC.”
Masvidal guarantees that further power goes to indicate itself within the ring. As a result of whereas Diaz could have been demure at their first press convention on Friday, he’s not going to have that possibility come June.
“I felt like he didn’t need to be there,” Masvidal mentioned. “And I get it, possibly he had weed to smoke and f****** vegan plates to eat or one thing. However his power, the best way I used to be studying, was like he didn’t need to be there.
“He is aware of one factor — whether or not I’m in form or not, I’m coming to combat. If you happen to pull that s*** you pulled out with [Jake Paul], you present up like that to our combat, you realize what’s going to occur — and it’s going to occur moderately fast, as a result of I’m going to place the strain on you straight away. I’m not going to allow you to slide for 10 rounds coming in off the sofa like that. That’s not the identical Nate Diaz we’re accustomed to within the UFC. I don’t suppose he took Jake severely in any respect. So I hope he’s been getting ready and getting himself prepared for battle, as a result of he is aware of that’s simply the best way I roll, the best way I scrap. I’m making an attempt to kill your ass.”
