Combat sports fans received a major surprise Monday as Nate Diaz and Mike Perry were officially added to the groundbreaking MMA event set to stream live on Netflix on May 16. The bout joins an already star-studded card featuring Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano and Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins, in what should be one of the most-viewed MMA events of all time.
Netflix announced the fight on social media, writing: “BREAKING: Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry has officially been added to the first-ever, triple-headliner MMA event on Netflix! They'll join the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card on May 16, which will also feature a showdown between Francis Ngannou and Philipe Lins.”
The bout will be contested at 170 pounds over five rounds and marks a return to MMA for both fighters after high-profile ventures outside the traditional cage. Diaz (21-13 MMA, 16-11 UFC), a longtime fan favorite and former UFC standout, has spent recent years exploring boxing and other combat sports opportunities following his departure from the UFC in 2022. Perry (14-8 MMA, 7-8 UFC), meanwhile, reinvented himself as a cult figure in bare-knuckle boxing, becoming one of the faces of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.
Veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani confirmed the matchup shortly after the announcement. “BREAKING: Nathan Diaz x Mike Perry is official for the May 16 MVP MMA Netflix card. 170. Five rounds. Diaz and Perry return to MMA after a few side quests,” Helwani wrote on social media.
Speaking on his show later in the day, Helwani emphasized the significance of the matchup being held under MMA rules.
“Diaz x Perry would have been an exciting fight in any discipline, but the fact that it’s happening in MMA is what makes it even more exciting,” Helwani said. “This fight adds so much to this card. A tremendous matchup. It’s great to see both of them back in MMA.”
Helwani also suggested the event could set new viewership records thanks to Netflix’s massive global reach.
“I can tell you the UFC was interested in bringing Nate Diaz back, but at the end of the day, this was a no-brainer for Nate,” Helwani said. “I don't think it's going out on a limb to say this could be the most-watched MMA card of all time, because it's on the biggest platform in the world.”
Perry, never shy about his confidence, quickly embraced the challenge on social media. “Been grinding, a fight for the ages, I’m looking to shut him down. May 16th LFG.”
With multiple headline fights and two of combat sports’ most unpredictable personalities sharing the cage, the Netflix event is already shaping up as one of the most anticipated MMA showcases of the year.
