Perry Triumphs Over Diaz in Welterweight Clash
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Mike Perry scored a victory against Nate Diaz in a two-round welterweight match on Saturday evening, which was part of the undercard for Ronda Rousey’s quick win over Gina Carano.
Perry (15-8) relentlessly pressured the 41-year-old Diaz (21-14), who had been out of the mixed martial arts scene for nearly four years, marking his first win since June 2020. Throughout the bout, Perry showcased faster movements and activity compared to Diaz, who ended up quite bruised and bloodied by the second round.
A flying knee struck Diaz, who was visibly sprawled as the second round concluded. The referee, Mike Beltran, swiftly stopped the match as Diaz’s corner called for the fight to end.
“He’s incredibly tough,” Perry remarked about Diaz, a well-known fighter in California. “He doesn’t quit… The crowd was really behind him.” Diaz certainly has a devoted following.
In another match, heavyweight Francis Ngannou finished Philip Lince in the first round during his second fight in four years. Ngannou hinted at potential future matchups, including a boxing bout with promoter Jake Paul, or mixing it up with MMA superstar Jon Jones, who was also present at the event.
In a previous bout, the former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos experienced a tough loss to Cuba’s Robelis Despaigne in the first round of the main card.
Perry had taken a break from MMA for five years after a somewhat rocky stint in the UFC, where he went 9-6, and a boxing match against Paul didn’t go his way either. But on this occasion, he clearly exhibited more strength and accuracy than Diaz, who became famous a decade ago, particularly from his fights with Conor McGregor.
“I couldn’t see because of the blood in my eyes, but, you know, I was okay,” Diaz commented about his performance.
Ngannou displayed some robust striking exchanges with Lince, landing a notable left hand toward the end of the opening round.
After the fight, Ngannou joked around with Paul, who has made a name for himself in boxing by taking down various opponents. Jones, who was watching from a commentary area, expressed his intention to face Ngannou if he is no longer with the UFC.
Ngannou, who captured the UFC title in 2021 and unified the belts the following year, has since had one MMA fight, but he also faced tough losses in boxing against prominent British fighters Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia.
Junior dos Santos, now 42, faced a disappointing outcome in his first MMA fight since 2024. He was knocked out by Despaigne after receiving a nasty three-punch combination. This was a far cry from the former champion’s glory days, including a 64-second victory over Cain Velasquez to clinch the UFC title, which remains a high point in his lengthy career, though he’s faced struggles lately, losing six out of his last eight fights.
In another highlight, French lightweight Saladin Parnas made an impressive debut in the U.S., overcoming Kenneth Cross in one round. Parnas, who has mostly fought in Poland since 2017, dominated the bout with effective striking and ground control, finishing off with powerful body shots.
