'If we're going to argue, we're gonna fight' says Nate Diaz before Diaz vs Paul Clash
Nate Diaz emerged from one of the six bedrooms of an extravagant villa overlooking the posh Bel-Air Country Club, making his way down a spiral staircase. He sported a casual outfit, including a Mike Tyson T-shirt, faded jeans, and black Travis Scott Nike Air Jordan sneakers. Diaz added a touch of style by briefly trying on a black baseball cap with a white "R" for his sponsor, Represent, as well as a pair of black Ray-Ban sunglasses. After seeking opinions from his team members, including Zach Rosenfield, the president of Real Fight Inc., and cinematographer Elijah Gutierrez, Diaz decided against wearing the hat and shades. Settling into a white chair on the stone balcony of the rental home, Diaz prepared for a video interview before Paul vs Diaz fight. From this vantage point, he could see the pool area with a small waterfall and hot tub below, as well as a lush, 18-hole golf course further down. The interview revolved around Diaz's upcoming Paul vs Diaz fight, his first outside of the UFC in 17 years, in which he would be facing popular YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul. The two men were 50-50 partners in the upcoming pay-per-view event, but Paul had expressed disappointment in Diaz's lack of trash talk to promote the fight. However, Diaz wasn't interested in engaging in a war of words. He believed that his fighting prowess over the years was enough to promote the Paul vs Diaz fight, and he didn't feel the need to resort to childish arguments. For Diaz, if they were going to argue, they might as well settle it inside the ring.
"I think my fighting from over the years promotes my fights," Diaz told ESPN. "I'm not gonna get in a little-kid argument with the guy and act like [it's] any realer than it is. Don't get no realer than this anyway. "If we're going to argue, we're gonna fight."Both Diaz and Paul had unconventional paths to this point in their careers. Diaz was one of the biggest MMA stars of his generation, known for doing things on his own terms. Paul, on the other hand, disrupted boxing with his major events outside the traditional promotion formula. Their distinct approaches and the genuine animosity between them led to this pivotal moment in their careers. Initially, Diaz and Paul had various options for potential fights, including matchups with Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul for Diaz, and Mayweather, KSI, and a Tommy Fury rematch for Paul. However, fate brought them together due to their shared heated history and the potential for a high-stakes matchup. This 10-round Paul vs Diaz boxing match on August 5 in Dallas would be a landmark event in the genre of crossover boxing that Jake Paul had pioneered. The outcome of this bout could significantly impact the future of both fighters' careers and the trend of influencers in combat sports. Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, even speculated that this could be Paul's final boxing match, with the possibility of retirement if he were to lose to Nate Diaz.
