Nate Diaz's current physical condition has been shown just 12 days ahead of his scheduled bout with Mike Perry at MVP. Diaz is currently 41 years old and last competed in MMA in 2022 when he submitted Tony Ferguson. Since that fight, he participated in two boxing matches and did not compete at all in 2025. The upcoming MVP event will also feature Francis Ngannou's return along with bouts including Rousey vs. Carrano and Mokaev vs. Moraes. This represents Diaz's return to competition after an extended layoff from active fighting.
Nate Diaz has publicly shown his physical condition less than two weeks out from his scheduled fight with Mike Perry at an MVP event, giving fans their clearest look yet at where the Stockton native stands heading into the bout.
Diaz, 41, carries a professional MMA record of 22-13-0 and fights out of the Cesar Gracie Fight Team as a southpaw standing six feet tall with a 76-inch reach. His last MMA appearance came in 2022, when he submitted Tony Ferguson to close out his UFC contract. Since then he stepped into the boxing ring twice and sat out all of 2025, making the MVP card a meaningful return to active competition. Over his career he has averaged 4.57 significant strikes landed per minute and 1.3 submission attempts per 15 minutes, reflecting a fighter equally comfortable on the feet and on the mat.
Standing across from him will be Mike Perry, 34, who goes by "Platinum" and brings a 14-8-0 record into the fight. Perry stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach and fights orthodox. He lands 4.32 significant strikes per minute at a 47 percent accuracy rate, making him a compact and consistent pressure puncher. Perry has averaged 0.81 takedowns per 15 minutes but just 0.2 submission attempts in the same span, signaling a preference for keeping things standing.
Why it matters
- Diaz is returning after an extended layoff that included no MMA action in 2025, so his current conditioning is a legitimate question mark.
- Perry is seven years younger and has been competing more recently, giving him a potential activity edge.
- The reach gap — Diaz holds a five-inch advantage at 76 inches versus Perry's 71 — could be a meaningful factor if Diaz works behind his jab.
- The MVP card also features Francis Ngannou's return, raising the overall profile of the event and the scrutiny on every fighter appearing that night.
