Two of the biggest stars in UFC history collide in the boxing ring on Saturday when Nate Diaz takes on Jorge Masvidal in Anaheim, California.
The era of themed fights is at an all-time high, and you can’t blame Diaz and Masvidal for wanting to get a piece of the pie.
Whether you love or hate the matchup, boxing purists might be drawn to the interesting co-main event battle between two big-name fighters.
Here’s everything you need to know to watch the event.
- Date: July 6
- Time: 9:00 PM ET
- TV/Stream: PPV.com
- Price: $49.99
Here’s a look at the undercard, which sees former world champion Daniel Jacobs take on Shane Mosley Jr. in the co-main event:
- Daniel Jacobs vs. Shane Mosley Jr.
- Chris Avila vs. Anthony Pettis
- Devin Cushing vs. Manuel Correa
- Amado Vargas vs. Sean Garcia
Diaz and Masvidal are part of the most successful UFC pay-per-view event in history. Diaz’s star has risen to new heights following two crucial clashes with Conor McGregor. The two fighters drew 1-1, but the latter has expressed interest in a playoff.
In 2019, Diaz and Masvidal headlined UFC 244 in a bout that would have resulted in the BMF title belt being awarded to them. Masvidal won because the doctor stopped the fight after Diaz sustained a major injury to his eye.
Five years later, the two men, who have fought 86 MMA bouts, will meet in the boxing ring, but both have limited professional experience.
Diaz has had one professional boxing bout, but lost to Jake Paul in August 2023. Diaz also had a close match against Paul, but was knocked down twice by the YouTuber-turned-fighter, losing by apparent unanimous decision.
Masvidal has never competed in a professional boxing match, but he is familiar with the bare-knuckle iteration of the sport. He gained fame as a street fighter before pursuing a career in mixed martial arts.
Masvidal kicked off his MMA promotion with a variation called Gamebred Bare Knuckle MMA, which combines elements of the two fighting sports. Masvidal turns 40 in November and Diaz turns 40 in March 2025, so both men have their best years as fighters far ahead of them.
But few figures in the world of fighting have had a bigger impact or been responsible for more pay-per-view buys than this veteran duo. What kind of action will we see in a 10-round fight?
It’s hard to say, but you can bet he’ll be fitter and tougher than Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen, who we saw in June. This bout was an exhibition show with some rules that prevented fans from seeing a real fight.
Masvidal and Diaz are probably aware that they want to maintain their ability to keep fighting, but they will almost certainly fight anyway. Jacobs and Mosley Jr. are kind of funny.
At 33, Mosley Jr. is no longer the little son of a boxing legend. He’s a veteran who has made it into the rankings and may be facing his final shot at a world title at 168 pounds.
If he achieves that goal, he should be able to beat the 37-year-old Jacobs, who hasn’t fought in two years and has faced him many times. With two of the biggest names in traditional boxing on this card, it will be interesting to see what this bout teaches us about both fighters.
