A member of the UFC Hall of Fame harbors doubts that the highly anticipated clash between Nate Diaz and Mike Perry will live up to fan expectations.
UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey is set to make her return to the Mixed Martial Arts arena after an absence of nearly a decade, stepping into the ring against Gina Carano next month in a Most Valuable Promotions headline event. This bout signifies Rousey’s first competitive MMA appearance since her consecutive defeats in the UFC to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes.
The event also features the return of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou to MMA competition, facing off against Philipe Lins, alongside a captivating encounter between former UFC icon Nate Diaz and the prominent figure in bare-knuckle fighting, Mike Perry. The matchup between Diaz and Perry brings together two of the most beloved figures in contemporary combat sports and is widely expected to deliver a high-octane spectacle once the action commences.
However, a past adversary of both Diaz and Perry remains unconvinced that the fight will fulfill the considerable hype surrounding it.
Donald Cerrone: Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry ‘will not be a good fight!’
In a recent discussion on The Fight Guys podcast, UFC Hall of Famer Donald Cerrone, who previously competed against both Diaz and Perry during their respective UFC careers, offered a blunt assessment of their upcoming bout.
Why UFC Superstars Are Disappearing | Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone@ErikBadApple and @Cowboycerrone get real in the latest episode of The Fight Guys! 🥊 pic.twitter.com/28oroAtmWN
— BetOnline (@BetOnline_ag) April 17, 2026
“Nate and Perry won’t be an impressive fight; I believe Nate will decisively defeat him,” Cerrone stated regarding the Diaz vs. Perry matchup.
“Nate will dominate him on the mat, and in striking, absolutely. If I were making a wager, I would stake everything I possess on Nate, without a doubt. Simply based on his mental fortitude and his reputation as a true fighter. On that merit alone, Nate would best him even outside the ring. Bare-knuckle fighting is essentially street fighting, so one can excel as a street fighter until the elements of grappling and the comprehensive Mixed Martial Arts come into play.”
“Nate possesses a far broader skillset than Perry,” Cerrone further commented on Diaz vs. Perry. “It won’t turn out favorably for him.”
Cerrone secured a first-round armbar victory over Perry in November 2018, and suffered a unanimous decision loss to Diaz at UFC 141. He concluded his MMA career following a submission defeat to Jim Miller at UFC 276.
What are your predictions for the Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry fight? Share your thoughts in the comments section!
