On Saturday July 6, two former MMA fighters will meet in a boxing match when Nate Diaz faces Jorge Masvidal. Oddsmakers think Masvidal has a big edge in the matchup by making him -275 on the betting odds, while Diaz comes in as the +210 underdog.
Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal odds
Jorge Masvidal -275
Nate Diaz +210
Odds courtesy of DraftKings
Both of these guys are tough as nails. Masvidal was knocked out once in 52 career MMA fights, while Diaz got stopped twice in 34 bouts. However, one of Diaz's two losses by stoppage came to Masvidal. Gamebred dominated the first three rounds and doctors stopped the fight before the fourth.
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Both guys have appeared in just one career boxing match with Diaz facing by far the tougher competition when he lost a unanimous decision to Jake Paul in April 2023. Masvidal won an uninspiring 4-round majority decision over Joseph Benjamin way back in 2005.
Masvidal became famous for his street fighting that appeared on YouTube in the early 2000's. He is a skilled puncher who still packs a lot of power even at age of 39. Diaz never had much power but was known for throwing punches in bunches to frustrate opponents. The question is, which style will prevail on Saturday night?
Diaz is a third-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Cesar Gracie. That means if Diaz gets you to the ground, your chances of ever getting up again are close to zero. While Diaz also became a skilled boxer in MMA, he often used punching as a compliment to his elite ground game.
One thing about Diaz though is you almost have to kill him to stop him. While Masvidal dominated the first meeting, the doctor stoppage was controversial. Even a bigger Jake Paul couldn't finish Diaz.
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I like Masvidal to prevail but I don't want to lay -275 in a boxing match between two old MMA fighters. Striking is in Masvidal's blood, although finishing Diaz under boxing rules with bigger gloves is a tall order. The bet I like in this fight is Masvidal to win by decision at +120.
This will likely be an ugly bout between two aging fighters with phenomenal chins. Look for Masvidal to land more big shots and win a 10-round decision.
Pick
Jorge Masvidal to win by decision or technical decision +120 (DraftKings)