Former UFC star Benson Henderson is excited about the Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry fight. The bout is set to feature on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card’s co-main event slot on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. And before the fight, Henderson sat down for an interview with Essentially Sports’ Andrew Whitelaw and issued a tactical warning to Diaz.
“That’s interesting. That could be a good fight,” Henderson told Whitelaw. “That could be a bloody, bloody war, is what it could be. I think they’re gonna stay standing. I think, Nate, if he [were] smart, he might try to take it to the ground. Perry’s pretty good wrestling [and] takedown defense. But [if] they were smart, you get down and some jiu-jitsu right away.
“But I have a feeling they’re just gonna stand there and play together a whole lot. It might be fun to watch. I might tune in for that one, I would tune in for that one for sure.”
Benson Henderson, who retired from MMA in 2023, was surprised to hear about the matchup, admitting that he rarely keeps up with MMA events unless they involve someone he knows personally. But having beaten Nate Diaz by decision in December 2012, Henderson is certainly qualified to weigh in on the fight.
Diaz will be making his long-awaited return to MMA for the first time since September 2022, when he defeated Tony Ferguson. Since then, Diaz has stepped into the boxing ring for high-profile bouts against Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal. While he came up short against Paul, he managed to avenge an old rivalry with a victory over Masvidal.
Still, at 41 years old, many continue to question how much the Stockton native has left in the tank. Meanwhile, Mike Perry has found new life competing in bare-knuckle boxing. Perry hasn’t fought in MMA since April 2021, when he dropped a decision to Daniel Rodriguez in the UFC. Like Diaz, Perry also faced Jake Paul in the boxing ring.
But he was unable to mount much offense and suffered a loss. In any case, while Henderson appears to have an optimistic view of the Diaz-Perry fight, this other former UFC star doesn’t.
Darren Till is not a fan of Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry
Fellow former UFC star Darren Till didn’t hold back when talking about Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry. Till originally hoped to face Perry himself after signing with BKFC, but those plans changed once Perry booked a fight with Diaz on the May 16 card headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano.
“Just a pair of f—king Teletubbies fighting each other,” Till told MMA Fighting. “Nate Diaz can’t string a sentence together, [nor] can Mike. It’s trash. American trash. Just trash. Everyone on that card is trash, actually. In fact, it’s a full card of mongoloids. Trash.”
Despite the harsh criticism, Till admitted he respects the payday both fighters are receiving.
“If they’re making a lot of money, I have to give all respect and kudos, too,” he said.
It shows how two different people can have different views of the same fight. While Henderson seems happy about his former rival, Till feels scorned because of missing out on a fight with Perry.
