Fresh off a dominant win over Mickey Gall at the most recent UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas, welterweight star “Platinum” Mike Perry is eyeing some much bigger fish going forward.
Perry is the type of fighter willing to scrap anyone at any time – he even has a budding rivalry with middleweight contender Darren Till – and said he would happily welcome a matchup with superstar Nate Diaz.
“I think he’s a skinny, weak, little (expletive), like Mickey Gall,” Perry told ESPN. “I respect what he’s done in this sport. He plays the guard game, jiu-jitsu, and (expletive). He thinks he can box with that little weak-ass punches that he’s got. Little salt and pepper punches. He doesn’t stand a chance to hit me hard enough.”
Perry debuted with the organization in 2016 at UFC 202, a card headlined by Diaz’s rematch with Conor McGregor.
Since then Perry has gone 7-6 with all his losses coming to top-level 170-pounders including ranked contenders Geoff Neal and Vincente Luque.
Meanwhile, Diaz has only fought twice since that event – he returned to beat Anthony Pettis at UFC 241 then lost to Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC 244 this past November.
Perry has competed exclusively at welterweight and is considered one of the physically strongest athletes in the division where Diaz spent much of his career as a lightweight.
“I’d hit him on the feet, same way Jorge Masvidal did,” Perry said. “I’d play his guard. I’d get half guard, sit on top of him. It’d look exactly the same way the Mickey Gall did, to be honest with you. If you guys liked that fight, then yeah, you’ll probably like the Nate Diaz fight too because he’s a little more durable. He’ll probably try to stand there and box back with me, but my power punches would just – I’d sit him down.”
"Hit Mickey Gall in the face." #UFCVegas4 pic.twitter.com/cIPqoyppf2
— UFC (@ufc) June 28, 2020
Diaz has remained relatively quiet in recent months but has expressed interest in a rematch with Masvidal since their fight was stopped by the cageside physician after three rounds when the doctor determined it was not safe for Diaz to continue due to a deep laceration over his right eye.
“Everybody knows he’s durable so I’d bust that eye open again,” Perry added.
“I mean what can I say? I’m not hating on Nate Diaz. He’s done things in the sport. He’s made money. Good for him. I always thought I’d beat that guy and it’s as simple as that. I mean, we’re talking about one-on-one in the ring fighting and I win.”
Perry is not likely on Diaz’s radar but if this hypothetical matchup were to ever come to fruition the build up to the fight would be something else.
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