Nate Diaz is stepping back into the MMA spotlight—but not under the UFC banner. The Stockton legend will face Mike Perry this Saturday, May 16, on Netflix for Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, marking his first MMA fight since leaving the UFC in 2023. After 15 years with the promotion, Diaz ventured into professional boxing, but he never shut the door on a return to mixed martial arts.
Speaking on "The Ariel Helwani Show" Tuesday, Diaz revealed he came close to re-signing with the UFC before the MVP deal materialized. The timing, however, didn't sit right with him—especially regarding a potential trilogy fight with his old rival, Conor McGregor.
"I was pretty close because they've always been great. Since I left, too," Diaz said. "They talked and met up with me. It was good to see them and be back. Wheels were spinning just for an MMA fight return, and getting back to what I do."
The UFC reportedly wanted Diaz to face McGregor immediately, but the 40-year-old fighter has a different vision for that matchup. "I know that they wanted the Conor fight right now. That's not what I—they were insinuating, they didn't offer it, but I think that's what they wanted," Diaz explained. "I'm not trying to be a comeback story for Conor. I want Conor back, then I want him to be showing people he's whipping ass, and then that's the guy I want. I don't want to be fighting a guy that people don't know about."
It's a savvy perspective from a veteran who knows the fight game inside out. Diaz closed out his UFC tenure with a submission win over Tony Ferguson in September 2022, while McGregor hasn't competed since suffering a broken leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. Both fighters have been sidelined for years, but Diaz wants a prime McGregor—not a comeback version.
Diaz had long hinted at testing free agency after his UFC contract ended, so his hesitation to jump back into the Octagon isn't surprising. For now, his focus is on Perry and MVP, but don't count out a return to the UFC down the line—especially if the timing and the opponent feel right.