What happens when a West Coast Gangster steps into the octagon with a Dirty South Gangster? We’ll find out this Saturday, when Stocktown’s own Nate Diaz meets the Street Jesus himself, Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal.
- Date & Time
- November 2nd, 2019 7:00pm
- Location
- Madison Square Garden, New York
- Media Coverage
- Pay-Per-View
Surging welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal (34-13, 15 KOs, 2 SUBs) will meet Stockton’s Nate Diaz (20-11, 5 KOs, 11 SUBs).
What happens when a West Coast Gangster steps into the octagon with a Dirty South Gangster? We’ll find out this Saturday, when Stocktown’s own Nate Diaz meets the Street Jesus himself, Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal. The matchup headlines UFC 244 at the one and only Madison Square Garden, and the Bad Motherfuc*er title is up for grabs in this one.
Yes, there is an actual belt that was forged just for this matchup. It’s undeniably a gimmick, but a fun one nonetheless. Diaz was able to speak it into existence when he called out Masvidal, and Dana White obviously saw the easy marketing angle while booking the fight.
Fans who were hoping for some street beef are probably disappointed that there hasn’t been any trash talk between the two: just a whole lot of mutual respect. Real recognize real, and neither guy feels the need to bring their street personas into the mix or put on any antics. Diaz vs. McGregor this is not.
Still, the timing is right for a matchup between the two. Diaz is one of the UFC’s true superstars - his matchups with McGregor vaulted him into the mainstream. Catch him on Kimmel one day, then on TMZ the next. As for Masvidal, he’s never been more popular after 20 years in the fight game. Not only is he scoring badass knockouts, he delivering iconic one-liners in interview after interview.
Diaz’s callout of Masvidal was a genius move. He gets a scrap against one of the game’s hottest fighters, who also happens to be ranked No. 3 in the division. You can bet that McGregor is taking notice of his rival ignoring him and headlining a pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden. If Diaz wins, he jumps right into title contender territory, which leads to yet another big scrap.
Plus, it’s just a fun-as-hell scrap with some intriguing betting options. Let’s take a look at our top-rated online sportsbooks for UFC odds, and break down the best online betting values. Live UFC betting is also available at online sportsbooks, so remember to log in to hedge your bets as needed between rounds
UFC Odds
Nate Diaz +148
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: -155 / +115
Significant Striking Stats
Strikes landed per minute: Masvidal 4.11 / Diaz 4.64
Striking accuracy: Masvidal 48% / Diaz 44%
Strikes absorbed per minute: Masvidal 4.15 / Diaz 3.69
Striking defense: Masvidal 67% / Diaz 54%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Masvidal 1.16 / Diaz 1.17
Takedown accuracy: Masvidal 51% / Diaz 30%
Takedown defense: Masvidal 77% / Diaz 45%
Submission average: Masvidal 0.51 / Diaz 1.43
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Both usually operate on the feet, though they both have solid to excellent ground skills. Diaz is a Cesar Gracie black belt, but doesn’t have the offensive wrestling to really force that part of his game on opponents. Masvidal isn’t a guy that hunts submissions, and he has excellent takedown defense and defensive grappling.
So this will most likely boil down to a standup battle, and a compelling one at that. Diaz’s style is well-known: he beats dudes into submission with a never-ending hail of potshots. Backed with endless cardio and an iron chin, anyone that chooses to go toe-to-toe with him ends up fading quickly. To get to that point, the 34-year old relentlessly needles opponents with trash talk, double birds and Stockton slaps. But does he do that against Masvidal, who he clearly respects? And would that even work against a guy that started his fighting career in Kimbo Slice’s backyard?
While Diaz has a singular style, Masvidal is a chameleon. One of the savviest, smartest fighters on the roster, Gamebred can switch up his style and has the skillset to remain effective. He also stays cool under fire, and can make adjustments midfight. Donald Cerrone took a clear round off him before his jab turned the tide. The bigger Darren Till was knocked out when Masvidal took a page out of Tyron Woodley’s pressure-based gameplan.
UFC Odds Pick: Masvidal to win at -185
Online oddsmakers were right to make Gamebred the clear favorite. He is easily the most diverse fighter, and there are clear blueprints to beat Diaz. You can be sure that with 25 minutes, Gamebred will be able to follow one of them.
UFC Odds Pick: Masvidal to win by TKO
This is a very risky victory prop, considering that Diaz has only been knocked out once in his career - by Josh Thomson. Gamebred has the smarts, determination and skillset to really pile on the damage like Thomson did, which makes this an intriguing pick - one that pays off handsomely.
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