Nate Diaz Makes One Thing Clear After Bloody Battle With Mike Perry
Before the long-awaited return of Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano took center stage, the people's fight belonged to Nate Diaz and Mike Perry. The co-main event delivered exactly what fans expected - violence, blood, chaos, and two fighters refusing to back down for a second.
The fight quickly turned brutal. Perry came forward aggressively from the opening bell, but Diaz had his own moments firing back in heated exchanges throughout the fight. Diaz later revealed he believed he broke his finger within the first few seconds, something he admitted became a distraction as the battle wore on. Even with Diaz finding success at times during the exchanges, Perry's relentless pressure and power gradually began taking a visible toll.
Nate Diaz #RouseyCarano LIVE now on Netflix pic.twitter.com/57DCNG9Nkc
— Netflix Sports (@netflixsports) May 17, 2026
By the second round, the damage began piling up badly. Diaz absorbed heavy shots and was visibly unsteady on his feet at multiple points during the fight. The biggest turning point came when a nasty cut opened up around Diaz's eye, causing significant bleeding that clearly affected his vision for the remainder of the round.
Following the second, Diaz's own corner made the difficult decision to stop the fight before round three could begin, giving Perry the TKO victory in a bloody war that had the crowd roaring throughout the night.
Still, Diaz made one thing crystal clear afterward: he wants the rematch immediately.
"Yeah, he did everything I expected him to do. Come out hot and aggressive forward," Diaz said post-fight. "I think I broke my finger in like the first two seconds… I'm gonna come back and get his f------ ass."
When directly asked if he wanted Perry again, Diaz doubled down.
"Come on motherf-----, ain't nobody beat me twice."
Nate Diaz said he agrees with the decision to stop the fight:
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) May 17, 2026
"I had blood in my eyes, I couldn't see sh*t. I wasn't gonna do nothing." pic.twitter.com/RYEudKNAQH
Diaz also admitted the stoppage was the right call given the circumstances.
"Yeah, I had blood in my eyes. I couldn't see s**t. I wasn't gonna do nothing so it's all good," Diaz said. "But next time he ain't gonna be able to do nothing."
Perry welcomed the idea of running it back.
"Anybody who wants to give him another chance, I'll be happy to oblige," Perry said. "I'm here to fight no matter who, no matter when, no matter where."
Diaz may have lost the battle, but both fighters sounded ready for round two before leaving the cage.
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This story was originally published May 17, 2026 at 12:07 AM.