Nate Diaz has responded to Jake Paul’s latest callout with a short message that could open the door to a highly anticipated MMA rematch.
Paul has identified Diaz as his preferred opponent for his MMA debut after Most Valuable Promotions and the Professional Fighters League complete their planned merger in early 2027. Diaz, who previously faced Paul in a boxing match, responded directly on social media with two simple words.
The response marks the clearest indication yet that Diaz is willing to consider sharing the cage with Paul.
Nate Diaz answers Jake Paul directly
Paul recently renewed his callout of Diaz while discussing his plans to enter MMA. The former UFC star had previously been challenged by Paul, but the matchup never materialized under mixed martial arts rules.
Diaz reposted a video featuring Paul calling him out and responded with “Pull up,” while tagging the former YouTuber turned professional boxer. The brief message immediately made his position clear without committing to a specific date or venue.
The response is particularly significant because Paul already owns a victory over Diaz.
The two fighters met inside the boxing ring in August 2023, with Paul winning a unanimous decision after 10 rounds. Diaz showed his trademark toughness throughout the contest, but Paul secured the judges’ decision and moved to a professional boxing record of 7 and 1 at the time.
A second meeting under MMA rules would create a completely different matchup.
MMA rules could give Diaz a different path
Nate Diaz has spent most of his professional career competing in MMA and has extensive experience using Brazilian jiu jitsu alongside his boxing.
During his UFC career, Diaz recorded submission victories over some of the sport’s biggest names, including Conor McGregor, Tony Ferguson and Jim Miller. His ability to drag opponents into prolonged grappling exchanges could make an MMA meeting with Paul considerably different from their first encounter.
That experience gap would be one of the most important factors in any potential matchup. Paul has developed considerable experience as a professional boxer since making his debut in 2020, but stepping into MMA would require him to deal with takedowns, submissions, kicks and a far wider range of positions.
The matchup would therefore give both men a chance to change the narrative from their first meeting.
Paul wants Diaz for his MMA debut
Paul’s interest in Diaz comes as his MMA plans become more concrete.
Most Valuable Promotions staged its first MMA event earlier this year, with Diaz playing a prominent role on the card. Diaz returned to MMA competition after an extended absence and was stopped before the third round. Following the defeat, he expressed interest in facing Mike Perry again.
Perry has moved on to a scheduled August 29 fight against Dillon Danis, leaving Diaz without the matchup he had publicly wanted next. That could make Paul’s proposal more relevant as both fighters look toward their next competitive opportunity.
MVP and PFL merger could create the platform
The potential Diaz versus Paul fight is closely connected to the future of Most Valuable Promotions.
MVP’s first MMA event helped establish the promotion’s interest in the sport, and the planned merger with PFL is expected to give the company a larger platform for future MMA events. Paul has said he wants to make his MMA debut once the merger is completed in early 2027.
A fight against Nate Diaz would also fit the commercial model that has surrounded Paul’s combat sports career.
The pair already have a storyline, a previous fight and a recognizable history. More importantly, the second meeting would take place in a completely different sport.
Diaz’s MMA record gives him an advantage in experience
Nate Diaz enters the potential matchup with a professional MMA record of 21 wins and 14 losses, while Paul has no sanctioned MMA fights on his record.
Diaz has competed against elite MMA opposition for more than a decade and has faced championship level fighters inside the UFC. His experience in grappling exchanges would give him tools that were unavailable during the 2023 boxing contest.
At the same time, Diaz is now 41 years old, and his recent results have raised questions about how much longer he intends to compete at the highest level.
A rematch with a completely different set of questions
Paul versus Diaz in MMA would not simply be a repeat of their boxing match.
Paul would enter as the younger fighter with considerably more recent boxing activity, while Diaz would bring decades of MMA experience and a proven submission game.
For Diaz, the fight could provide an opportunity to settle unfinished business while returning to the sport where he built his reputation. For Paul, it would represent the biggest test of his transition from boxing to MMA.
Nothing has been officially confirmed yet, and the merged promotion has not announced that Diaz versus Paul is in development. For now, however, Diaz has made his position clear.
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