"I had higher numbers than everybody else" - Nate Diaz explains how self-promotion through UFC years pushed him to make Real Fight Inc.
In 2022 ahead of his farewell fight at UFC 279, Nate Diaz announced the launch of his own fight promotion, Real Fight Inc. Diaz is one of UFC's biggest pay-per-view stars of all time, having been part of some of the promotion's top-selling pay-per-views ever.
It seems that self-promoting his fights during his UFC tenure prompted him to start his fight promotion.
During a recent interview on Full Send MMA, in the lead up to his boxing clash with Jake Paul, Diaz explained how self-promoting his fights for years enabled him to seamlessly transition into running his own promotion:
"I said when I get out, I was going to do my own promotion... Like Jake was doing with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)... Well, I just jumped right in, and I felt like the business was mine the whole time. When I fought, I promoted my own fights, I mean, the UFC promoted the fights, but it was the biggest fights, and there was a lot of promotion behind it."
He added:
"I noticed the numbers like when I was fighting back in the day on FOX and stuff and every time I fought, I had higher numbers than everybody else. I'm not like out there looking like I'm sitting there talking business all day long, but I know good business."
Catch Nate Diaz's comments below (1:58):
Nate Diaz is scheduled to box Jake Paul on Saturday, August 5, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Many Sportsbooks have pegged 'The Problem Child' as the favorite for the match-up.
Oscar De La Hoya weighs in on Nate Diaz vs. Jake Paul
Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya believes that Nate Diaz will stump Jake Paul come August 5 in their boxing clash.
During a recent interview with InsideFighting, the former world champion boxer opined that although Diaz doesn't possess any remarkably unique skills, he knows how to get the job done:
"Look, you have Jake Paul, who is a monster puncher, and you have Nate, who just knows how to pull off wins, you know. It's not with power, it's not with beautiful technique, it's just with will, it's with heart. So what's going to prevail, heart or punching power?"
He added:
"I have got to go with my boy Nate... because I think he has more experience when it comes to fighting... and like I said look Nate, he is not a big power puncher, but he knows how to take care of the job, he knows how to take care of business. For some strange reason, he wins."
Catch Oscar De La Hoya's comments below: