Just a week ago, Nate Diaz’s long-awaited return to MMA was officially locked in, with the former BMF title challenger set to face Mike Perry in a five-round welterweight clash on Most Valuable Promotions’ debut MMA card. Scheduled for May 16 at the Intuit Dome, the event is shaping up to be a blockbuster, as Diaz headlines alongside Ronda Rousey, who returns against Gina Carano, and Francis Ngannou, who is set to face Philipe Lins in what serves as a triple-headliner tied to Jake Paul’s official entry into MMA.
Interestingly, both Dana White and Joe Rogan appear supportive of Diaz’s decision to take his talents outside the UFC. For context, Diaz last competed in MMA at UFC 279 in September 2022, where he defeated Tony Ferguson. Since then, he has ventured into boxing, facing Paul in 2023 and Jorge Masvidal in 2024.
Despite that, speculation had been building around a potential UFC return, particularly to complete a long-awaited trilogy with Conor McGregor later this year. According to White, those discussions were very real. Addressing the rumors at the UFC London post-fight press conference, he revealed, “He came in and met with me a couple of weeks ago.”
White also expressed genuine happiness for Diaz, suggesting the Stockton native likely secured a massive deal with MVP. He added, “We had a good time, and I think Nate just got an offer he couldn’t refuse. I haven’t talked to him since then, but I’m happy for him.”
🚨 Dana White says he met with Nate Diaz to talk about a return to the UFC, but he “got an offer he couldn’t refuse” from MVP
“I’m happy for him.” pic.twitter.com/ZYcTsjNSA0
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 22, 2026
For what it’s worth, Perry has already hinted that the fight will be the biggest payday of his career, strongly implying that Diaz is set to earn an even larger purse. Still, White hasn’t ruled out a future return to the Octagon for Diaz if the timing is right.
He added, “I don’t know. Let him do his thing. Let’s see how the fight plays out, and we’ll see what happens.” With that in mind, curiosity has quickly shifted toward the financial side of the matchup, as fans speculate about Diaz’s purse. And it appears Rogan may have some insight into just how big that number could be.
As confirmed by White, Rogan also believes a massive financial offer played a decisive role in Diaz choosing Most Valuable Promotions over a UFC return. Speaking on a recent Fight Companion podcast alongside Brendan Schaub, Rogan discussed the rumored purse for Diaz’s comeback bout. He asked, “What did you hear they offered Diaz?”
“Netflix? I heard it was $10 million,” Schaub replied. Rogan, however, hinted that the figure could be even higher, adding, “I heard it was more. That’s wild,” the UFC commentator added.
He added, “I tell you what, I think he could’ve made that same money against Conor [McGregor]. If Nate gets through this fight and they set that fight up, it’s that or [Michael] Chandler.”
As noted, the 40-year-old last competed in MMA at UFC 279 in September 2022, where he submitted Tony Ferguson. Since then, he has explored boxing, suffering a unanimous decision loss to Jake Paul in 2023 before bouncing back with a majority decision win over Jorge Masvidal in 2024.
Even in 2026, Diaz remains one of the most recognizable names in combat sports, owning notable victories over Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone, along with his iconic rivalry with McGregor, whom he famously submitted in 2016 at UFC 196. He also challenged for the UFC’s symbolic BMF title in 2019, falling short against Masvidal.
Whether Diaz continues his lucrative partnership with Paul or eventually returns to the UFC to settle unfinished business with McGregor remains one of the sport’s most intriguing storylines.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.