Jorge Masvidal Explains Delay on Nate Diaz Fight: ‘Nate's a F****** Idiot'

"Gamebred" reveals why his boxing match with Diaz is getting pushed back to July 6th.

Nov 2, 2019; New York, NY, USA; Jorge Masvidal (red gloves) and Nate Diaz (blue gloves) / Sarah Stier-USA TODAY Sports

Jorge Masvidal will have to wait another month before he can get his hands on Nate Diaz.

Stepping away from the Octagon to fight in the boxing ring, the pair of UFC stars were initially supposed to collide on June 1st— the same night as UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier. However, things don't always go according to plan, as Masvidal and Diaz have found a new date and venue for their rematch.

Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz Boxing Fight Gets New Date & Location

The 10-round boxing bout moves from Inglewood to Anaheim, CA, on July 6th. Masvidal, a promoter and fighter, reveals why the fight is now taking place on the Fourth of July weekend and how he wasn't a fan of the original June 1st date.

"You don't wanna go up against other dates and other fight events, especially, you don't wanna go up against the UFC," Masvidal told ESPN MMA. "So from the beginning, I was trying to switch the date. Nate's a f****** idiot. He was adamant about staying on that date because he's not a UFC employee anymore and 'I don't have to do nothing for UFC' and this and that. But, it just doesn't make sense, especially when, I know Nate thinks he's the boxer now because he boxed the Jake Paul guy, but he is not a boxer and doesn't have a boxing fan base.

"The fan base that he has is from MMA, from UFC. So, why go up against our own fan base? Me as a promoter, I'm thinking, I don't even wanna do it. I know a lot of fight fans will buy both events or watch both events, but in my honest opinion, why even do it if there was days [that] weren't conflicting... But finally the promotion heeded my words and stuff and decided to switch. Obviously I don't like it that another month and a week got added to this already long training camp. But in hindsight, it doesn't really matter because I'm making a transition from one sport to another. So the more time I get to practice and perfect my craft and sharpen my tools, it doesn't hurt me or bother me the least bit."

The UFC will be taking a bye-week after UFC 303: McGregor vs. Chandler, leaving the July 6th date for Masvidal vs. Diaz free from competition. While the fight itself takes place on new ground, "Gamebred's" prediction for Diaz doesn't change.

"Besides the fireworks on 4th of July, you get to see a funeral on July 6th," Masvidal added.

Like Jake Paul also did with Diaz, Masvidal has voiced his concern over Diaz not doing his part to promote their upcoming boxing match. On the last stop of the Masvidal vs. Diaz press tour, the Stockton-native decided to play hooky and left their press conference after the first question.

Nate Diaz just dipped after the first question at the Jorge Masvidal presser 💀 pic.twitter.com/p7CZUVstGy

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) April 20, 2024

Masvidal has his doubts about whether Diaz will make it to the dance on July 6th, considering how difficult it was to negotiate with him in the first place.

"At this point, I just hope he shows up to the fight," Masvidal expressed. "Cause a big part of me thinks he doesn't show up to the fight for whatever reason, his pinky toe's gonna be hurting and he can't put on his boxing shoes, so he can't fight. I don't think he's gonna make it to the fight. His attitude, the way he's been acting like we're trying to sell a pay-per-view, we're trying to fight, right? And this guy does nothing to do any of that, besides the fact that at every and his demands are not like two adult with common sense, you know, debating over something. His is just like, well then I won't fight. I'm not gonna fight. His whole negotiation tactic was, 'I'm not fighting'.

"[We got] some backups out there. They've been hunting them down because the feeling is out there. He's gonna quit before he even gets in the ring. I hope he proves me wrong. I hope he steps in there well prepared in the best shape of his life. That's the only thing that I want, I want the best Nate that's ever been in, I hope he sees this interview from here to the fight. He's in the gym doing what he has to do to get himself right, because he knows, not from me talking, but he knows from personal experience. The moment I get in there, I'm only trying to do one thing to him and that's end him, stop him."

Masvidal did in fact stop Diaz in their first encounter at UFC 244, but not without an asterisk. Masvidal outworked Diaz across three rounds, cutting him open in the process. Heading into round 4, the referee stopped the contest due to cuts around the eye of Diaz and Masvidal was crowned the UFC's first-ever BMF Champion in Nov. 2019.

UFC Fight Night Preview: Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy

They'll run it back five years later in 10 rounds or less under boxing rules. This is Nate Diaz's second boxing match; he fought and lost to Jake Paul by split decision last August. For Jorge Masvidal, it's his second-ever boxing match and first fight since his UFC retirement against Gilbert Burns at UFC 287.

“I knew I’d be here the whole time, so I knew the time would come,” Diaz said of finally fighting Masvidal again at a recent press conference. “I just got back to it and did what I had to do as soon as I could. I still feel I’m the, I’m the f****** BMF in this whole b****, the whole fight game. I’m gonna continue on until the end of time. That’s my plan.”

Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC, MMA, WWE, and AEW.

Follow MMA Knockout on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.