Nate Diaz Defeats Jorge Masvidal By Majority Decision in Professional Boxing Match

It’s sweet revenge for Nate Diaz.

It took almost five years, but the 39-year-old half-Mexican American mixed martial artist and professional boxer finally exacted revenge on Jorge Masvidal in a professional boxing ring on Saturday.

Nate DiazDiaz defeated Masvidal by majority decision in a 10-round match, which headlined a pay-per-view event at Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Two of the three judges scoring the bout, which saw competitive, back-and-forth action, scored it for Diaz via scores of 98-92 and 97-93. A third scored it an even draw at 95-95.

The victory avenged Diaz’s third-round TKO loss to Masvidal from November 2019, when the two met in the UFC‘s first BMF title fight.

Masvidal won when a physician ruled Diaz couldn’t continue due to a cut; Diaz didn’t agree.

After Saturday’s win, Diaz called for two more rematches, Jake Paul, who defeated him in boxing last year, and UFC champ Leon Edwards.

“I’m going to beat Jake Paul’s f—ing ass and I’m down to fight the highest-ranked boxer I can find,” Diaz said. “My main objective is to be the best fighter in the world, so I want to go back and get a UFC title. [UFC welterweight champion] Leon Edwards, Jake Paul and anybody the f— else, you’re dead.”

Masvidal, 39, who retired from MMA in April but has already hinted at a possible comeback, said he disagreed with the scorecards and called for a third fight against Diaz.

“I thought I won,” Masvidal said. “I thought I hit the harder shots. We can do it again, we’re 1-1. We’ll find a place and do it again.”

It was a classic Diaz performance, as he simply overwhelmed Masvidal with volume over the course of the 175-pound fight. Masvidal appeared to land the harder shots, but Diaz’s notorious chin held up beautifully, and his pace was a weapon for him all night. At times, he laughed and turned his back to Masvidal, and the two continued to fire punches until the final bell.

Chris Avila Pulls Off Upset Boxing Victory Over Anthony Pettis

Chris Avila has pulled off an upset…

In a somewhat surprising result to many viewers, the Latino boxer (6-1) defeated former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (1-1) via unanimous decision (58-56, 59-55, 59-55) in a six-round 175-pound affair on the main card of the Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal-headlined boxing event.

Chris AvilaAvila utilized a high-volume attack, much similar to a Diaz, as pointed out by commentator Sean O’Malley on the broadcast.

There were arm-punches galore, as Avila successfully implemented his unusual but effective approach.

Pettis hung in with Avila, but was unable to score much significant offense if any. Avila halted him on a multiple occasions with hooks that visibly threw Pettis out of rhythm.

The win for Avila was his sixth in a row since he lost his professional boxing debut in 2014.

Avila also holds boxing wins over MMA notables Jeremy Stephens and Anthony Taylor.

Pettis has fought all over the combat sports world since his UFC departure in 2020.

He remains under contract with PFL but also has competed in boxing and for Karate Combat.

Filmax Acquires Rights to Ilia Topuria-Documentary “Matador”

Ilia Topuria’s life story is headed to the big screen…

Filmax has unveiled its latest pickup, director Giampaolo Manfreda’s ultimate fighting documentary Matador, about the 27-year-old Georgian and Spanish world champion MMA fighter.

Ilia TopuriProduced by Señor Mono, with the support of Spanish pay television giant Movistar+ and Filmax, Matador will hit Spanish theaters on September. 19.

Having acquired international rights, Filmax is offering distributors in other territories the opportunity to release the film in their own markets around that same time.

Nicknamed El Matador, Topuria became the UFC world champion in February in a blockbuster match against Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski, ending a four-year title reign.

Matador documents eight months of Topuria’s career, beginning with his fight against Josh Emmett in Florida, which elevated him into the global top five of UFC’s fighter rankings, and culminating with his title match against Volkanovski.

The film demonstrates the incredible training and personal sacrifices a top fighter must endure to reach the highest levels of the sport. It was produced by a team that was given unprecedented access into Topuria’s personal and professional lives.

“There is a point when you become so concentrated on the training you forget about all the cameras around you, all the microphones, about everything,” Topuria has explained. “The good thing about this movie is that it’s exactly that. You’re gonna see Ilia Topuria without any filters. I hope everyone enjoys seeing that.”

During a Madrid presentation of the documentray, a clip was shown of Topuria cutting weight in which the soon-to-be champion is put through torturous starvation and dehydration techniques to get below the threshold needed to qualify for the bout. According to the fighter, what happens in the ring is fun and games, and a job he loves to do. Cutting weight, he said, is a more brutal foe than any fighter he can face in the octagon.

Several questions were asked about his future, including whether he could imagine acting in a fiction production someday.

“My dream was never just to become a champion. I want to be a legend. I want to leave my fingerprint on this sport and I won’t rest until I achieve that,” he answered with no hesitation.

According to producer Iñigo Pérez-Tabernero, “Producing this movie has been one of my life’s greatest gifts because it has allowed me to delve deep into the process of how a person becomes a star and manages to achieve everything that he always dreamed of. But even more important than that, it has allowed me to get to know and to portray the person behind the celebrity, a person who fearlessly opened the doors to their private life for the whole world to see.”

“We are sure we are going to have a very busy summer. I can’t think of a more interesting and attractive product for the international market than Matador, a film which so wonderfully portrays the process behind creating a legend and offers us a close-up look at one of the most attractive, powerful and magnetic figures in international sport and entertainment,” Ivan Diaz, head of international at Filmax, added. “Our clients have already started to show a lot of interest in the project, and we are sure that the film will make a big impact in the international marketplace from September until the end of the year.”

Alex Pereira Knocks Out Jirí Prochazka to Retain UFC Light Heavyweight Title

Alex Pereira has struck again…

The 36-year-old Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) scored a vicious second-round knockout of Jirí Prochazka (30-5-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) with a devastating head kick and brutal follow-up strikes to retain his light heavyweight championship in the main event of UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena.

Alex Pereira,The rematch between the two, who met last November with Pereira winning by second-round TKO, happened a lot sooner than expected as both were called to action on two weeks’ notice after Conor McGregor was forced out of his main event showdown with Michael Chandler because of a broken toe.

Both fighters had competed at UFC 300 and pulled off impressive knockout victories in their respective fights, with Prochazka taking out Aleksandar Rakic and Pereira impressively dispatching Jamahal Hill in defense of his title.

Both left with little damage, but a pair of broken toes was the only thing in the way of Pereira accepting the fight.

As it turns out, those broken toes would connect on the head of Prochazka in the rematch and put an end to the rivalry.

“I didn’t know how I was going to win, but I knew I was going to leave this Octagon happy,” Pereira said through an interpreter.

The fight was a striker’s paradise in the opening round, with Pereira landing leg kicks and Prochazka finding success with the left hook and using his awkward movement to create openings. But Prochazka played too close to the sun and ran into Pereira’s trademark left hook, which sent him crashing to the canvas at the end of the round. Although he tried to show he was unharmed, Prochazka’s legs said otherwise as he stumbled to his corner.

Pereira smelled the blood in the water and wasted little time finishing the job. He opened the second round by uncorking a violent head kick that sent the Czech fighter to the canvas again. But this time there would be no bell to save him as Pereira’s follow-up strikes finished the job just 13 seconds into the round.

What Pereira has been able to accomplish in two short years is nothing short of outstanding. He captured the UFC middleweight championship in just over a year after his promotional debut by knocking out Israel Adesanya and added the light heavyweight title a year after that when he stopped Prochazka.

With another successful defense under his belt, could Pereira chase an unprecedented championship in a third weight class at heavyweight?

“I think that’s in my future,” Pereira said. “I say it a lot. I’m here, I’m available and I think that’s in my future.”

A fight with current heavyweight champion Jon Jones might be the biggest fight that can be made in the UFC at the moment, and it’s clear that Pereira wants to continue to do the unthinkable during his remarkable run. But with Jones slated to face Stipe Miocic later this year, a fight with Pereira might have to wait.

For now, the MMA world is in the palm of his hand.

Anderson Silva to Fight Former MMA Rival Chael Sonnen in Boxing Match This June

Anderson Silva is preparing for a highly anticipated rematch… of sorts.

The 49-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional boxer, a former UFC middleweight champion who holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days, is set to renew one of the greatest rivalries in mixed martial arts history next month.

Anderson SilvaSilva will face Chael Sonnen in a boxing match on June 15 in Brazil, the Spaten Fight Night promotion announced on Sunday.

Silva had been teasing his career finale earlier this week, claiming his final fight would take place next month in his birthplace of Sao Paulo.

Sonnen confirmed his participation via social media.

“Oh Anderson, yoohoo,” Sonnen said. “It’s me again. See you June 15.”

Silva (34-11) and Sonnen (30-17-1) produced one of the most memorable two-fight rivalries in UFC history.

Silva was in the midst of a UFC-record 16 consecutive wins when he ran into Sonnen in 2010. The outspoken title challenger from West Linn, Oregon, was a massive underdog going into their first meeting at UFC 117.

Sonnen shocked the world for 23 minutes of that fight, dominating Silva with takedowns and ground-and-pound before Silva secured a late triangle choke off his back. The UFC is set to induct that fight into its Hall of Fame in late June.

They met again two years later at UFC 148 in a blockbuster rematch in Las Vegas. Silva knocked out Sonnen with a knee to the chest after Sonnen lost balance throwing a spinning backfist.

Silva retired from the UFC in 2020, but has since boxed professionally four times. He is 2-1-1 in the ring, with the only loss coming to Jake Paul via decision in 2022. Sonnen retired from MMA in 2019 after five appearances in Bellator MMA. The former collegiate wrestler has never boxed professionally.

Silva was widely considered the greatest fighter of all time by 2010, but Sonnen’s ability to promote their rivalry with his trash talk of the Brazilian legend helped propel him to stardom.

Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal Boxing Match Rescheduled to Independence Day Weekend

Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal are now preparing for a real fireworks show in the ring.

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American mixed martial artist and professional boxer’s upcoming encounter with the 39-year-old Peruvian & Cuban American professional boxer and former professional mixed martial artist inside a boxing ring has a new date and venue.

Nate DiazDiaz vs. Masvidal, originally slated for June 1 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, will now relocate to the Honda Center in Anaheim and take place during Independence Day weekend on July 6.

The 10-round light heavyweight showdown will be presented on Fanmio PPV.

The original date was met with heavy competition as UFC 302 is scheduled for the same night in Newark, New Jersey, where Islam Makhachev will defend the lightweight championship against Dustin Poirier. The same day, Dmitry Bivol defends his WBA light heavyweight championship against late replacement Malik Zinad while Deontay Wilder returns to action against Zhilei Zhang on the same card.

“I sell pay-per-views for a living,” said Masvidal to ESPN. Masvidal is the promoter of Gamebred boxing as well as the bare-knuckle MMA promotion Gamebred Fighting Championship and MMA promotion iKON FC. “You don’t want to go up against other fight events and you definitely don’t want to go up against the UFC. I have been trying to switch the date from the beginning.”

Masvidal said that Diaz initially wasn’t cooperative and adamant that their boxing match take place on June 1. But the former UFC title contender said that making the move to a new date would prevent splitting the attention of fans who wanted to watch. He also stated that the event, billed as “Last Man Standing,” was moved to Anaheim to service a starved MMA fanbase that routinely turns out for UFC events in the city.

“It just doesn’t make sense but he’s not a boxer and he doesn’t have a boxing fan base,” Masvidal continued. “The fanbase he has is from MMA, from the UFC. Why go up against our own fanbase? As a promoter, I never wanted to go against them. I know fans may buy both events but why do it if there are other dates available? Finally, the promotion heeded my advice and we were able to change dates.”

The inaugural press tour for the fight was a contentious one as two fighters traded barbs with Masvidal accusing Diaz of being a “diva” during the promotion. “Gamebred” does have concerns that Diaz may not make it to the fight.

“I just felt like he didn’t want to be a part of the press tour,” Masvidal said. “I just hope he shows up to the fight because a big part of me doesn’t think he will. We have some backups out there. We have been making some calls and hunting them down because the feeling is out there that he won’t show up. I hope he proves me wrong, but we have a backup just in case.”

Diaz and Masvidal first squared off inside of the UFC‘s Octagon in 2019 when the two fan favorites competed for the inaugural BMF championship at UFC 244. The highly anticipated encounter ended on a sour note when a doctor’s stoppage due to a cut over Diaz’s eye awarded Masvidal the victory. Now the two will settle their differences in a different medium, but both fighters are looking for a definitive result on July 6

“After the fireworks on the Fourth of July you will get to see a funeral on July 6,” said Masvidal.

Alex Perez Scores Knockout of Matheus Nicolau 

Alex Perez remains in the title hunt…

The 32-year-old Mexican American mixed martial artist scored a scintillating second-round knockout of Matheus Nicolau in a battle of flyweights jockeying for title contention on Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex.

Alex Perez Ranked No. 8 by the UFC, Perez (25-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) stepped into the main event picture after Manel Kape had to pull out of the bout with a rib injury.

Perez put a dramatic halt to a three-fight skid, using a high-volume approach to eventually break through Nicolau’s guard and sink him with a thudding right hand at the 2:16 mark in the second round.

Perez was the busier fighter early on with constant movement and feints. Nicolau, the UFC’s No. 5-ranked flyweight entering the night, remained composed in the opening frame and defended well as Perez routinely launched into multi-punch combinations.

Perez managed to get through with a few body shots and a leg kick before Nicolau got his attention with a counter left hand.

But the sheer amount of activity kept Nicolau on his back foot and without an answer to Perez’s salvos.

Perez kept the volume going in the second round as Nicolau attempted to counter and close the distance. A short right hand clipped the Brazilian and sent him stumbling backward. Perez immediately went for the finish as he rushed forward and launched into another violent barrage of punches as Nicolau’s back was up against the fence. A right hand slipped through and caught the Brazilian flush, immediately crumpling him along the cage wall.

“It feels amazing,” Perez said following the victory. “Everyone counted me out after three losses.”

Perez, who was coming off a loss to Muhammad Mokaev in March, was originally slated to face Tagir Ulanbekov on June 15 but took the opportunity to climb back into the top of the division with a higher-ranked opponent. It was a significant risk, but Perez was up for the challenge and cashed out in a major way.

“I tell people I don’t get paid to sit on the couch, I get paid to fight and this is the reason why,” he said about taking the fight on three weeks’ notice. “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”

Nicolau (19-5-1, 7-3 UFC) has dropped two in a row, both by knockout, after going on a four-fight winning streak. Saturday marked his first fight since a knockout loss to Brandon Royval last April.

With the win, Perez will keep a close eye on next week’s flyweight bout between Alexandre Pantoja and Steve Erceg at UFC 301. While a title fight might not be next, a victory of this magnitude will almost certainly land him a fight with title implications in the near future.

Danny Trejo to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Santa Fe Film Festival 

Danny Trejo is preparing to receive a special honor…

The 79-year-old Mexican American actor and Machete star will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Santa Fe Film Festival on Thursday, during the festival’s opening night.

Danny TrejoIn addition to his iconic Machete character, Trejo is the star of From Dusk Til DawnSpy Kids, Con AirHeat and hundreds of other films and television series.

His new film, American Underdog, will hold its U.S. premiere at SFFF that night, kicking off the event that runs in New Mexico’s capital city from April 25-28.

“Danny Trejo has developed a prolific career in the entertainment industry with a hard earned and atypical road to success,” the festival notes. “From years of imprisonment to helping troubled youth battle drug addictions, from acting to producing, and now on to restaurant ventures, Trejo’s name, face, and achievements are well recognized in Hollywood and beyond, but it is his continuous role as a devoted father of three and an intervention counselor that bring him the most satisfaction.”

Trejo’s co-star in American Underdog, Veronica Falcón, will receive the festival’s Trailblazer Visionary Award, recognizing her work on screen on shows including OzarkQueen of the South and Perry Mason, and for her work off-screen as an activist. SFFF calls Falcón “an artist who has demonstrated excellence in the craft and served large in inspiring positive change in the world.”

Trejo got his start in acting in 1985, years after his release from San Quentin state prison in California. He had become a boxing champion behind bars and got a first start in movies by training Eric Roberts as a boxer for Runaway Train, which led to Trejo being cast in a small role in the film. That background in the ring served him well in American Underdog, “a redemption story set in the world of MMA by first-time Peruvian-American director, Gustavo Martin-Benites,” according to a release.

“Trejo essays the role of ‘Dennis,’ a trainer and former MMA fighter who reluctantly comes out of retirement to coach his ex-student – disgraced amateur MMA fighter, ‘Jai’, played by Indian-American actor Vishy Ayyar.”

Trejo says of the role, “My character ‘Dennis’ has come through the other side of the fire, and now he’s at a place in life where he’s got the experience, he’s lived it, and can give the wisdom and the guidance.”

Along with Trejo, Falcón and Ayyar, the film stars Taylor Treadwell, Suleka Mathew, Andrew Gray and Omi Vaidya. Naveen A. Chathapuram, Cristy Coors Beasley and Rashaana Shah produce the film. Ayyer co-wrote the American Underdog, which is based partly on his own experiences.

“After losing 50 million dollars in my real estate business, I was in shock as my life crumbled in front of me which led to filing for bankruptcy,” Ayyar said. “American Underdog is a testament that everyone comes to America as an underdog and can fall over and over again, but can find that redemption from the most unlikely of paths.”

Trejo’s own redemption story saw him overcome a childhood of abuse and addiction, to a career in Hollywood and now major success as an entrepreneur. As the festival notes, “Trejo’s expanding restaurant empire includes Trejo’s Tacos & Cantina, and Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts, with a fifth restaurant opening in downtown Los Angeles.” Two days ago, he was in London for the opening of a Trejo’s Tacos location in the English capital. He has authored two books, including Trejo’s Tacos: Recipes and Stories from LA.

Trejo has 29 upcoming cinematic projects in various stages of completion, including Hollywood Heist, a caper movie starring Alec Baldwin, Nick Cannon, Mickey Rourke and Tara Reid.

Nate Diaz Protégé Chris Avila to Fight Former UFC Champion Anthony Pettis in Boxing Match

Chris Avila is preparing to battle a former UFC champion in the boxing ring…

The 31-year-old mixed martial artist and Nate Diaz protégé will battle Anthony Pettis, once a UFC lightweight titleholder, on the undercard of Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal later this summer.

Chris AvilaThe event will take place on June 1 at The Forum in Inglewood, California, per ESPN. The bout is contracted for six rounds at 175 pounds.

Pettis, 37, made his pro boxing debut in April 2023, a majority decision victory over boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. The Milwaukee native is coming off a unanimous decision win over fellow former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson at Karate Combat in December 2023. Pettis, who last fought in MMA for PFL in 2022, held the UFC lightweight belt from 2013 to 2015.

Avila, 31, is 5-1 as a pro boxer and has had success in the influencer space of the genre. The Stockton, California, native owns boxing wins over MMA fighters Jeremy Stephens and Anthony Taylor, as well as influencers Paul Bamba and Mikhail “Dr. Mike” Varshavski. Avila is a longtime training partner of Diaz’s out of Nick Diaz Academy.

Diaz and Masvidal fought for the UFC’s symbolic BMF in 2019 at New York’s Madison Square Garden, with Masvidal winning via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) due to a Diaz cut. The two have harbored bad blood since before that bout.

Keanu Reeves & Fisher Stevens Co-Producing Documentary About Benny “The Jet” Urquidez

Benny “The Jet” Urquidez’s life story is getting the Hollywood treatment.

Keanu Reeves is partnering with Academy Award winner Fisher Stevens to co-produce a documentary on the life story of the 71-year-old half Spanish/Mexican American former professional kickboxer, martial arts choreographer and actor, an iconic athlete who introduced mixed martial arts to the world.

Benny “The Jet” UrquidezTitled The Jet, the film is currently in production under the direction of Emmy-nominated sports documentary editor turned filmmaker Jennifer Tiexiera.

The film’s financiers are Chris Quintos Cathcart and Tyler Boehm of the newly formed Unapologetic Projects, a company dedicated to working with underrepresented creators.

Maura Anderson and Zak Kilberg of Stevens’ recently launched production company Highly Flammable will also serve as producers along with John Scalise and his FAYA Project.

Benny “The Jet” UrquidezNancy Weisler, Brian Maya and Chris Quintos Cathcart & Tyler Boehm of Unapologetic serve as executive producers on the project slated for release in 2025.

Nicknamed for his explosive spinning back kick, Sensei Benny “The Jet” Urquidez had a profound impact on martial arts in mainstream culture, as an actor, fight coordinator, and trainer to the stars.

Known for his exceptional skills in kickboxing and karate, he held six world titles in five weight divisions and remained undefeated over the course of his 20+ year kickboxing career.

In addition to his competitive achievements, Urquidez is renowned for his contributions to martial arts cinema, having appeared in numerous action films during the 1980s and 1990s.

Notable film credits include The OctagonRoad House and Grosse Pointe Blank. Over the years, he also trained and worked with the likes of Jackie Chan, Muhammed Ali, Elvis Presley, Mark Wahlberg, Nicole Kidman, Kurt Russell, Patrick Swayze, Nicolas Cage, Michelle Pfeiffer, Duff McKagan and many others.

“Benny’s fighting career was born out of his struggles with identity, poverty, and race, but he didn’t let those things define him,” Tiexiera said. “The result is a story about how struggle and sacrifice evolved into one about love, spirituality and deeper meaning.”

Stated Reeves, “Benny is a true mentor, and has had such a profound yet underappreciated impact on both cinema and martial arts. I’m very excited to help share his story with the world.”