Welcome to Midnight Mania!
A lot of fight fans aren’t optimistic about Nate Diaz’s chances against Jake Paul.
Despite his experience in the ring with champions like Andre Ward, Diaz is still an underdog to the social media star. The reasoning is pretty simple: like Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, and Anderson Silva before him, Diaz is a smaller and older MMA fighter stepping into his opponent’s field.
Youth and size count for quite a bit in the ring, but what about the cage? Diaz has over 30 fights worth of professional MMA experience, and he’s fought the best of the best in the last ten years. Heck, it wasn’t terribly long ago that he threw down with Leon Edwards, the current Welterweight champion!
Surely, Diaz would stand a better chance in the cage, where his experience and jiu-jitsu black belt could really come into play. Despite those potential advantages, Jake Paul revealed on Twitter that he wasn’t against facing Diaz in the Professional Fighter’s League (PFL) smart cage.
In fact, he’s offering an eight-figure sum for the opportunity.
“For all the clowns saying ‘why don’t you fight Nate Diaz in the cage,’” Paul tweeted. “I made that offer to him from the start. $10M to fight me in PFL after we box on August 5th. Offer is still there Nathan. #PaulDiaz”
Since Paul has equity in PFL and will make a significant percentage of any pay-per-view (PPV) buys moved when he debuts, it makes sense that Paul would pursue a high-profile opponent like Diaz. However, this could really be a case of the young star biting off more than he could chew.
Diaz has already responded to the offer ... and we’ll apparently just have to wait and see how the boxing match goes first.
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24825627/PAUL_DIAZ_Poster.png)
LIVE! Watch ‘Paul Vs. Diaz’ On DAZN PPV
READY FOR WAR! International superstar and serial risk-taker, Jake “The Problem Child” Paul, is once again up against a very big (and very different) challenge in regard to his budding combat sports career when he takes on former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) superstar (and Conor McGregor slayer), Nate Diaz, inside American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Sat., Aug. 5, 2023, streaming live on DAZN pay-per-view (PPV). “Paul vs. Diaz” which will also feature multiple-time women’s boxing champion, Amanda Serrano, battling former WBO queenpin, Heather Hardy, for the undisputed Featherweight title in DAZN’s PPV co-main event. Special start time is slated for 8 p.m. ET, with a PPV price tag of $59.99.
Insomnia
In fairness, Paulo Costa has said since Day 1 that his fight vs. Iskram Aliskerov isn’t happening. Make the Sean Strickland fight already!
Ikram Aliskerov vs Paulo Costa is OFF according to Ikram’s camp
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) July 17, 2023
the new fight that is in the works is
Ikram Aliskerov vs Roman Dolidze
per @judobetter995 pic.twitter.com/iMUgCHN1LC
Pauli is smart enough https://t.co/C3BF2xLRRf
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) July 17, 2023
Alex Pereira is clearly a man who enjoys nature, violence, and the two mixed together.
Alex is over here trying to drown poor ol Glover pic.twitter.com/qO57dAi3fA
— Jason Williams (@jasoneg33) July 17, 2023
Imagine going on a hike to clear your mind and you run into Poatan cracking mitts pic.twitter.com/dNYQeug4u7
— Heavyweight Thanos (@MMAThanos) July 17, 2023
Regional MMA promotions provide an endless source of strange happenings.
I have obtained the clip and it is glorious. For the record, I think most of the blame here lies with Jason’s manager so don’t be mean to the guy https://t.co/oWz3jmEGd2 pic.twitter.com/BQrzrXttNI
— Harry Mac (@bbharrymac) July 16, 2023
Of all the people to piss off in a sparring match, “The Ax Murderer” Wanderlei Silva is probably not that guy.
remember the dude who threw an axe kick at wanderlei silva during sparring. pic.twitter.com/x0dUWPgm4m
— Dovy (@DovySimuMMA) July 15, 2023
Confirmed: BJ Penn and Georges St. Pierre are indeed mortal enemies. It’s time for a third fight!
BJ Penn doesn’t think dinosaurs are real pic.twitter.com/AHKeKZkMOy
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) July 16, 2023
If I could go back in time. I would go 66M years ago to watch how Tyrannosaurs hunted Triceratops
— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) July 17, 2023
Some smack talk featuring Joaquim Buckley, Kevin Holland, and the Welterweight division.
Son, I thought we spoke about making some wise investments and business moves. Look in the mirror, wipe the booger out your nose and wake up! https://t.co/KpDryV7xya
— Kevin Holland (@Trailblaze2top) July 17, 2023
The prognosis is ... not great for Jamahal Hill. Here’s to wishing “Sweet Dreams” a quick recovery!
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Superlek beat up Khalilov so badly that his corner told him, “You can’t stand with this guy.” Good advice aside from the obvious problem that it wasn’t an MMA fight!
Superlek Kiatmoo9 TKOs Tagir Khalilov in the main event of ONE on Prime 12.
— Will (@ChillemDafoe) July 15, 2023
Domination from Superlek pic.twitter.com/QPTd8iTlg5
Right hand over the top couldn’t miss!
Phetjeeja is the REAL DEAL.#ONEFightNight12 pic.twitter.com/He83lTBFo8
— Beyond Kickboxing (@Beyond_Kick) July 15, 2023
Nasty.
Random Land
This section doesn’t often feature uplifting news — such is the nature of the internet — but I’m always happy to share when I do come across it.
BREAKING: A new report shows that the end may be in sight for AIDS, the world’s deadliest pandemic.
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) July 17, 2023
The Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS says that Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe have all reached “95-95-95” targets, meaning 95% of the people who… pic.twitter.com/4tW8rZiBwV
Midnight Music: Indie rock, 2009
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
To check out the latest and greatest Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz event-led news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
Get the latest gear
Loading comments...