It probably comes as no surprise that things at Thursday’s Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz press conference got a little chaotic.
Where Diaz goes, chaos tends to follow, and after a rather uneventful face-off between the two stars, a shoving match erupted, with security teams on both sides going after the other.
As the press conference commentary team later noted, “who controls the security fighting?”
Good question. Welcome to a Nate Diaz fight week. Remember the chaos that erupted back stage at UFC 279 back in September, with multiple confrontations involving Kevin Holland, Khamzat Chimaev, and Diaz breaking out ahead of a press conference. This is nothing new for the Stockton native, who has frustrated Paul by refusing to take part in much trash talking ahead of the bout. In fact, Diaz appears to care less if the fight card is even promoted, despite it being a 50/50 production between Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, and Diaz’s own Real Fight Inc.
During Thursday’s press conference, Paul took aim at Diaz for throwing water bottles and choking people out on the streets. “I’m going to bully the bully,” proclaimed Paul, calling those booing him in response “peasants.”
Later, Diaz was asked if Paul was a real fighter. “He don’t know how to defend a choke,” Diaz replied. Not that it would matter in a boxing match— but Paul has also signed with the PFL.
“Can you accept my offer to fight in MMA? But no, you’re acting like a b*tch still. I have 10 million dollars for you in MMA, and you still haven’t accepted it,” retorted Paul. “After I f*ck you up in boxing, I’m coming to MMA and I’m f*cking you up worse. I’m gonna choke your b*tch ass out! Accept the offer, p*ssy! But you won’t, you won’t accept the offer!”
Diaz, who clearly didn’t care, pointed out he’d previously slapped a member of Paul’s security entourage. “F*ck him, and f*ck you too.”
Asked by moderator Ariel Helwani if he’d be willing to fight Paul in MMA, “We’ll see what happens,” Diaz replied.
Then came the face-off, and the melee that ensued. Whether that does anything to elevate a fight Diaz himself doesn’t seem keen to promote remains to be seen.
