Michael Bisping reacts to Nate Diaz beating Jorge Masvidal, believes Jake Paul loss was "a wake-up call" for ex-UFC star
Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping believes the loss to Jake Paul served as a wake-up call for Nate Diaz, who looked rejuvenated in his recent boxing win over Jorge Masvidal.
Diaz returned to boxing this past weekend, defeating Jorge Masvidal by majority decision in a much-anticipated bout. This marked Diaz's first professional boxing win, coming after a lackluster performance in his losing effort against Paul last year.
Bisping, analyzing the fight on his YouTube channel, highlighted the stark difference in Diaz's approach between the two fights:
“When you look at Nate Diaz and the way that he performed against Jake Paul, I thought it was going to be a bad night for Nate Diaz, but I was wrong. He came in motivated, in-shape, and super aggressive from the very get-go.”
He suggested that Paul may have benefited from facing a less determined Diaz and that the loss might have been a valuable lesson for the Stockton native.
"Jake Paul was lucky because the Diaz that showed up against him was not the same guy... He definitely underestimated the Disney boy and that’s his own fault. That’s not Jake Paul’s fault. Jake Paul takes his craft very seriously. … So, for Nate Diaz to show up and underestimate him, that’s on him. But, I think that taught Nate Diaz a lesson. I think that was a wake-up call.” [H/t: MMA Junkie]
Check out Michael Bisping's comments below:
Nate Diaz targets Jake Paul rematch and UFC return after recent win
Riding high on his victory over Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz wasted no time in outlining his future fight plans. In his post-fight interview, Diaz first set his sights on a rematch against Jake Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer who defeated him by unanimous decision last year.
Diaz then expressed his desire to return to the UFC and chase a championship title. He specifically called out Leon Edwards, the current UFC welterweight champion, for a potential rematch.
"I’m going to beat Jake Paul’s f***ing a**, and I’m down to fight the highest ranked boxer I can find, I don’t know who the f*** he is...My main objective has always been to be the best fighter in the world so I’m going to go back to get a UFC title. Leon Edwards, Jake Paul, anybody else, you’re dead."
Check out Nate Diaz's post-fight interview below (1:08):